Contraband smokes: A menace for today’s youth

 

What is contraband?

• Cheap tobacco products that are manufactured and sold illegally.
• Contraband cigarettes sell for as little as $10 per bag of 200 – less than 1/10 the price of legal tobacco.
• Illegal, cheap cigarettes are becoming more and more common in Ontario – between 25 and 30 per cent of Ontario smokers buy contraband.

 

Why is contraband a problem for our children?

• Cheap: Contraband cigarettes can cost just 3 cents each, so it’s easy for teens to afford to buy them and try smoking. In comparison, legal cigarettes are taxed to make it more difficult for youth to access them. Research proves tobacco prices affect smoking rates; a 10 per cent increase in the price of cigarettes causes an 8 per cent drop in smoking among youth.
•  

  Easily available: Studies have demonstrated  that teens are smoking contraband cigarettes near school grounds, which suggests contraband is being sold in or around schools. However, since the market is illegal, it is tough to know for sure where our children are buying them.

• No graphic health warnings: Unlike legal packs of cigarettes, contraband cigarettes – whether sold loose in plastic bags or in packs – don’t come with graphic health warnings that tell children about the dangers of smoking.
• Huge loss of tax revenue. Since no taxes are paid on contraband tobacco, the public loses $500 million in tax revenues every year. That’s enough to pay for the education of about 55,000 students for one year!
   

Legal Cigarettes With Graphic Warning	Illegal Cigarettes Without Graphic Warning

 What can be done about contraband?
There are various options for eliminating the supply of contraband, such as making it illegal to supply manufacturers with equipment and products like cigarette filters.