From: Victoria News
by Daniel Palmer – Victoria News
Contraband cigarettes are flowing freely across Greater Victoria, according to a study that traced the origin of about 6,100 cigarette butts across B.C.
The study, undertaken by Western Convenience Stores Association, found 20 to 25 per cent of cigarette butts collected at Camosun College and Royal Jubilee Hospital were illegally produced.
“It’s the rock bottom pricing that’s so appealing to young people in particular,” said Andrew Klukas, association president.
Contraband tobacco prices are as low as 10 per cent of the cost of legal cigarettes, Klukas said. Most of the product can be traced back to Ontario or Quebec, where raw U.S. tobacco is often smuggled across the border. Klukas said some sellers offer “baggies” of 200 cigarettes for as little as $10.
