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· Business (Tobacco)
· Teen Smoking/Youth
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· Canada
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Bill not tough enough, they say. Making it illegal for youths to light up doesn't work, critics counter
Jump to full article: Montreal Gazette (ca), 2009-05-31
Author: MEAGAN FITZPATRICK, Canwest News Service
Intro: If the federal government really wants to protect youths from the dangers of smoking, it should make it illegal for them to buy, possess and consume cigarettes and other tobacco, according to the Canadian Convenience Stores Association.
The association said the government bill introduced last week that seeks to crack down further on tobacco advertising, mandate that mini-cigars - called cigarillos - be sold in packages of at least 20, and ban the addition of fruit and candy flavours to tobacco products, does not go far enough.
Dave Bryans, president of the convenience stores association, said the government should also ban the possession, consumption and purchasing of tobacco for anyone under the age of majority.
"You don't see teenagers standing outside of high schools in Canada drinking beer, because they are not allowed to," Bryans said. . . .
Callard said she would like to see convenience stores more involved in helping their customers quit the habit.
"I think that they have got a really narrow understanding of their role, that they think they are there just to make money from selling tobacco as opposed to they are there as a business in the community that should meet community needs," she said.
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