The Saskatchewan government plans to limit the sale of tax-free cigarettes on reserves in the province.

Currently, First Nations people can buy up to three cartons of cigarettes a week from on-reserve stores without paying the provincial tax. The government plans to lower the limit to one carton a week in order to curtail smoking among Native people.

"The Province is unilaterally changing quotas on how much tobacco First Nations people can purchase. This is Indian agent mentality," Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Vice Chief Morley Watson said in a press release. "The old Indian agent would tell us how much grain, wood, fence posts and other goods we could produce and provide for our families."

The change will go into effect once the provincial budget is passed into law.

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Fewer tax-free cigarettes for First Nations (CBC 3/24)