A study of underage smokers shows Cornwall youths light up contraband cigarettes 38 per cent of the time.
The study, commissioned by the Canadian Convenience Stores Association (CCSA), included Cornwall for the first time in 2008 as it expanded to recognize the prevalence of contraband tobacco making its way here from the United States, according to president Dave Bryans.
Bryans said the study was born in part out of the frustration store owners felt as CCSA's We Expect ID program was undermined by "someone who can pull in front of our stores and sell illegal cigarettes out of the trunk of their car."
Meanwhile, he said, anti-smoking measures such as taxes, health warnings, display bans, mandatory ID checks and government anti-smoking initiatives go "up in smoke" because of illegal cigarette sales.
"Our policies are falling apart right in front of the building," said Bryans of the CCSA's efforts to keep anyone under the age of 18 from purchasing tobacco products.
In addition to the lost profit to legitimate store owners, Bryans said Ontario lost $1.2 billion in tax revenue from cigarette sales last year alone.
"Think about how many hospitals that money could have built," he said.
Bryans thinks everyone should ask all candidates in the federal election what they plan to do about the contraband tobacco business because the problem "is getting out of hand."
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt. Michael Harvey of the Cornwall detachment agreed.
Since 2001, the number of cigarette-making factories in Akwesasne, U. S. has increased to 13 from just one, say police.
RCMP contraband seizures from Cardinal, Ont. to Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. from January to August 2008 totalled 197,840 cartons, while in 2007 the amount seized for the same time period was 143,433 cartons.
Bryans would like to see a law prohibiting anyone under 18 from possessing tobacco, prompting Harvey to point out it's already illegal for anyone to possess contraband tobacco.
"No law in place stops people from buying illegal cigarettes," Harvey said. "The sellers are like drug dealers.
"We need more resources to go after them."
Existing RCMP resources focus on going after the hierarchy of the contraband tobacco business, while other strategies include public education about the risks of selling and supporting the trade, the proceeds of which often go to organized crime.
The Arcus Group collected and studied 22,498 cigarette butts from 80 high schools in Ontario and 75 in Quebec to see how many were legal, contraband or unknown for the CCSA study.
The average percentage which proved to be contraband in Ontario was 26, up two points from 2007,while Quebec was 35, up one point.