From: Bay Today
Crack down on illegal cigarettes urges lobby group
‘1 in 3 cigarettes purchased in Ontario are contraband, and in Northern Ontario that numbers jumps to an average of more than 54% illegal tobacco use’
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“Ontario has repeatedly neglected to introduce measures that would have the greatest effect in reducing the out of control contraband problem,” continued Gary Grant, a 39-year veteran of the Toronto Police Service. “The provincial government is keen to pride itself, having collected $38 million since 2008 in penalties under the tobacco tax act, but that is just 1/5th of what Quebec’s Acces Tabac program netted in one year. Instead, we know contraband tobacco in Ontario costs the provincial and federal government more than $1 billion annually. Money that Northern Ontario municipalities could certainly use.”
Quebec-style enforcement measures disrupt illegal networks, leading to an actual contraband reduction. Recent discussions about Canadian smoking rates identify that illegal cigarettes undermine tobacco control efforts. Tobacco control can’t work if Ontarians can get cheap, unregulated cigarettes in any part of the province with ease. “Attitudes in Northern Ontario were shockingly unconcerned about the consequences of using illegal cigarettes.
