Teens turning to contraband cigarettes, study finds

Jessey Bird, Canwest News Service Published: Wednesday, September 24, 2008

National Post

OTTAWA - Many teenagers in central Canada are turning to cheap and readily available contraband cigarettes, according to a study released yesterday by the Canadian Convenience Stores Association.

The study examined cigarette butts picked up from public grounds outside of 80 high schools in Ontario and 75 in Quebec.

In Ontario, 26% were illegal -- up two per cent since last year.

"What we found is that no matter where we have reached and studied, the issue is at every high school we go to," said Dave Bryans, president of the association. "They are being delivered everywhere."

Debbie McCulloch, supervisor for the tobacco youth prevention program at Ottawa Public Health, said that cheap, illegal cigarettes directly target the often-cash-strapped teen.

"That lower price is really a huge problem in terms of younger people having easier access," Ms. McCulloch said.

In Ottawa, it was found that 23% of the 1,429 butts picked up at 10 high schools were contraband.

If they know where to get it, teenagers can typically buy a plastic bag containing 200 illegal "rollies" for between $10 and $15 -- compared with a legal carton, which costs between $70 and $90, said RCMP Sergeant Marc Laporte.

"Because they are not purchased through stores, which require ID, there is no barrier," Sgt. Laporte said. "They are more available to teens because instead of sending the older kids to buy cigarettes for the younger ones, the word gets around on who is selling the contraband cigarettes."

Between January and the end of August, the RCMP seized 197,840 cartons and more than 24,000 kilograms of fine-cut tobacco between Cardinal, Ont., and Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que.