Saskatchewan taught me something I wasn’t expecting: apparently, at almost 54, I’m too old for the illicit nicotine-pouch market to trust me. I went into stores in Moose Jaw and Regina and kept being told they didn’t have pouches, even when I was pretty sure they did.

Then I saw the tins. The clerk started to grab them, another employee gave him the look, and suddenly they didn’t have any. So I sent in our videographer, who is almost 30 but looks 25. He came back with pouches — a lot of them. We tried it again at other stops: I went in, nothing; he went in, pouches.

Then I tried the legal route at a pharmacy, where I was asked about my smoking history, cessation options and had to provide my name, date of birth and address to buy an authorized low-dose pouch. The pharmacist was wonderful and just doing her job, but the contrast was ridiculous.

Almost 54 and trying to buy the legal product? Hoops. Look 25 and want the illicit stuff? Apparently, no problem.

Watch our Day 7 video recap and follow our socials because we’re sharing even more from the road.