Our Friends to the north in Ontario are running into trouble with their reserves refusing to enforce the tobacco laws put in place by government agencies … the same laws that make it illegal the sell tobacco and tobacco-related products to minors. Ontario’s health promotion minister, Margaret Best, is being called upon to fight and enforce tobacco laws equally across the province.
A study had been recently been released where undercover video showed teens openly buying tobacco-related products (cigarettes and flavored cigars) from first-nation smoke shacks, and it’s an ongoing battle that is far from over.
Although border security is working hard to intercept illegal cigarettes and cigars coming across the US/Canada border near Ontario the ones that do get through are sold along with home-grown tobacco through first-nation smoke shacks. While first nations communities are allowed to manufacture and even sell cigarettes these stores completely fail to comply with laws and have pretty much no age testing to keep their sales legitimate resulting in their products being taken off grounds and sold illegally.
The problem with first-nation smoke shacks is far from new and While Ontario has 36 Public Health Units with the specific task of regulating these problems it looks as if they have a very long way to go.
via Newswire.ca, photo by Tim Sydney via Flickr
Editor’s Note: Every cigar industry professional I have met is vehemently opposed to the marketing and sale of tobacco products to children. This is an adult product that requires an adult decision.
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