STAT Press Release

Ottawa Youth Support Taking Death Off Display

Ottawa - On May 31st, World No Tobacco Day 2005, Ottawa youth from the Student Team Against Tobacco (S.T.A.T.) congratulate and thank Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman for protecting youth from being targeted by Big Tobacco by banning Retail Powerwalls - Death on Display.

S.T.A.T. Youth took to the streets today and placed posters up and down Elgin Street supporting the ban on powerwalls - to keep them "Out of Sight Out of Mind"!

"Powerwalls" are huge cigarette displays that are typically located behind the checkout counter of retail outlets, and contain quantities of tobacco products far larger than necessary to supply consumers. Although only 20% of Canadians smoke, the sheer volume and visual assault of powerwalls subliminally send the message that cigarettes are more popular than they actually are. In fact, the tobacco industry spends over $88 million for such displays at the retail level.

Nancy Daigneault, President of mychoice.ca, funded by Big Tobacco, recently stated to her followers that Health Minister George Smitherman needs to heed the needs of the 13,500 Ontario members of mychoice.ca and not take away their rights through Bill 164. Meanwhile, S.T.A.T. youth have collected signatures and postcards from over 24,000 children, youth and parents that have asked the Health Minister to protect them from secondhand smoke and powerwalls - Death on Display.

"The banning of powerwalls is a powerful message that is going to change our perception of cigarette consumption in our society," said Kierston Fu, S.T.A.T. founder and organizer. "Smokers who are trying to quit and our children will no longer be visually be assaulted by these walls of death."