Cops just blowin' smoke: Docs

'Very little being done' about illegal tobacco trade

Tue, December 19, 2006

By ALAN FINDLAY
Toronto Sun

OTTAWA -- Law enforcement of the illegal tobacco trade in Canada is "shameful," according to a doctor's group pushing for tighter controls on smuggled smokes.

Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada said the prevalence of illegal cigarettes is bolstering smoking habits and creating an increased health risk to Canadians.

While smoking levels are reportedly increasing in provinces like Quebec, legal tobacco shipments in the province have dropped, the group stated yesterday. Government tax revenues, meanwhile, are dropping, said Neil Collishaw, research director for the doctors' group.

"I think very little is being done," Collishaw said. "There have been some seizures lately, but compared to the size of the problem there seems to be almost nothing going on."

The group called on the federal government to also push American authorities to crack down on approximately 10 illegal tobacco-making facilities on the New York side of the Akwesasne reserve, which straddles the Canada-U.S. border. The group calls Akwesasne a primary source of contraband for Canada.

It also suggests the provinces establish a quota system for reserves to limit the number of tobacco products going there so that it is in line with the number of smokers in the community. Federal taxes on tobacco should also be hiked and harmonized into a single excise tax.

Health Canada spokesman Renee Bergeron said department officials inspect tobacco manufacturing facilities on reserves in addition to all others in Canada.

She could not comment on the ones Collishaw identified on the Akwesasne reserve, however.

"Like other tobacco manufacturers, manufacturers on reserves must comply with the Tobacco Act and its regulations," Bergeron said.

She referred matters of smuggling and contraband to the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency. The border agency referred calls to the RCMP.

An official with the Mounties said a spokesman was not available yesterday.