Canadian Convenience Stores Highlight Health Canada's Efforts to Export
failed Tobacco Control Policies

Association says articles in question mirror Canada's Bill C-32 and predict
adverse economic and social consequences for countries

TORONTO, Nov. 9 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Convenience Stores Association (CCSA) is highlighting the latest World Health Organization (WHO) proposal to ban ingredients in cigarettes as an attempt by Health Canada to export its failed tobacco control policies to the rest of the world.   While working to ensure the proposal's adoption this November at the 4^th Conference of the Parties in Uruguay, Health Canada will almost certainly fail to mention to other participating countries that their own ingredients ban has created a flourishing contraband market for the vary products they sought to eliminate from the Canadian market

Draft guidelines for articles 9 and 10 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) would effectively ban traditional blended cigarettes - also called 'American Blend' - which require ingredients and represent over half of the cigarettes sold worldwide. Canada is the only country in the world to have banned ingredients in tobacco products, allegedly to tackle to the "niche" problem of flavoured cigarillos. As a result, Canadian kids can now buy these flavoured contraband tobacco products without age verification and at a fraction of the cost of the now prohibited legal equivalent. 

"Every day these flavoured cigarillos are sold in illegal smoke shacks, delivered to kids in schools and sold out of the trunks of cars in parking lots in communities across the country," says Mr. Gadbois, Senior Vice-President of the CCSAS. "These people are organized criminals and will sell any tobacco product to anybody if there's money to be made. That's going to put thousands of law abiding retailers with licenses right out of business and it's not going to stop people smoking. It's amazing to think that Canada has played a lead role is developing these international guidelines and actually wants to export its failure beyond its own borders."

CCSA warns other retailers of what lies ahead if their governments give a green light to the WHO. "We need to break the cycle before other countries adopt a similar strategy that encourages contraband activities," says Gadbois.

The CCSA represents the economic interests of over 27,000 convenience stores, located in every community in Canada, that serve Canadians in their daily needs. The CCSA has developed a basic mission to promote corporate social responsibility and represent "Responsible Community Retailing" and has developed the We Expect ID world-class age-testing program for all employees in the channel. The CCSA works to promote and foster professional business practices, standards and ethics throughout the C-Store industry, and provides training, education and guidance to its members.

For further information:

Dianna Eakins, Canadian Convenience Stores Association (CCSA)
Cell: [phone] / Email: [email protected]