Canada: Study Finds Illegal Tobacco Rate in B.C Around 15%

Source from:  CFTK 11/05/2015

A new study says B-C's illegal tobacco rate remains the highest in Western Canada.

In the Northwest, 4 sites between Prince Rupert and Terrace were examined.

15 percent of tobacco found in B-C is illegal that's according to a new study by Western Canada Convenience Store association.

The not-for-profit organization says they examined cigarette butts at 44 sites across B-C, including here in Prince Rupert, and Terrace.

"These products, when they're sold, the people selling them, they're not testing them for age. Our members, retail stores, we're required by law to test everyone who looks under 25 and make sure we control access of these products. Contraband, illegal tobacco, the people selling these products have no interest in that. They'll sell to anybody. Without any age test, and often times there are no health warnings.

The study defined contraband tobacco as any without branding, foreign, or untaxed brands.. including those from reserves.

In Prince Rupert 2 sites were examined. At City Hall they found 16 percent of tobacco to be illegal, and at Service Canada, 8 percent was found.

Cecilia Helin is a manager at PA's convenience store ,and she's concerned about what type of contrabands are out there.

"My son is in middle school, and my other children are all grown up, but for him, it is a concern. It is scary because you never know"

In addition to the alleged links to organized crime, and health labelling issues Klukas says the contraband tobacco is costing the government millions in loss revenue.

"On average, every year they collect 7-hundred million dollars in provincial excise tax part of tobacco sales alone. That doesn't include sales tax or anything like that. 7-hundred million dollars, if they're losing 15 percent of the legal market, that means the province of B-C is losing over 100 million dollars per year to the sale of illegal tobacco products"

Klukas says the illicit tobacco rate in B-C is 50 percent higher than that of neighbouring Alberta's. and they want the BC government to introduce a more aggressive anti-contraband legislation. Enditem