Under Age Youth finds 58% of Tobacco Retailers Willing to Break the Law

Ottawa - The local Student Team Against Tobacco, STAT, recently completed two days of test shopping to investigate tobacco retailer compliance rates when it comes to selling to minors. Fifty-eight per cent of retailers that were visited sold the under age youth cigarettes.

"We were amazed at how easy it was to get tobacco industry products, because we had heard that sales to minors compliance rates in Ottawa were up in the 80 - 90 % range. Even when our test shopper said she had no ID, she was still able to buy cigarettes," reported Kierston Fu, STAT's founder and organizer. The youth-led group went to 36 gas stations and convenience stores across Ottawa, two places where kids indicate they routinely buy cigarettes.

Forty-four per cent of retailers didn't ask for ID, and another 14 % asked for ID, but sold tobacco even when the test shopper was unable to produce it. The law in Ontario restricts tobacco sales to youth 19 years or older, but retailers must ask for ID if the customer looks under 25.

STAT is requesting that the City of Ottawa increase the licensing fee it charges to tobacco retailers for the privilege of selling tobacco industry products. The group would also like to see more education for retailers about cigarettes and the addictive nature of nicotine.

"If the license fee was higher than the $124 currently charged, and if tobacco retailers knew more about the deadly product they were selling, hopefully they would be more serious about checking ID. We don't think that a product this dangerous should be sold so light-heartedly," said Fu.

Smoking is a paediatric disease. The vast majority of smokers begin when they are under 18, at a time when they do not have all of the information to make an informed decision about smoking. Cigarettes are the most dangerous consumer product on the market, and one third of kids smoking today can expect an early death. The current smoking rate amongst high school students in Ottawa is 21%, higher than the youth provincial average of 18%.

For more information, contact:
Kierston Fu, STAT organizer 301-5438
Pippa Beck, STAT supporter 722-6187
ahenry@on.lung.ca