The Ontario government’s proposed new anti-smoking legislation not only would ban smoking in all enclosed public places, but also limit the display of cigarettes in stores—much to the frustration of local merchants.
“I’d just as soon they kept their nose out of my business, honestly,” said Craig Sanders, owner of the 364 Food Store here.
Sanders’ comments were in response to Health and Long-Term Care minister George Smitherman’s remarks regarding limiting cigarette displays in stores.
“Does anyone believe that it is somehow acceptable for cigarettes to be mixed in with Twizzlers and hockey cards for the benefit of young potential customers?” Smitherman had told the legislature last week as he introduced the bill.
While the exact limitations on cigarette displays has not yet been decided, Smitherman has made it clear there will be some restrictions on the visibility of the product.
“I understand what they’re trying to do but, to be blunt, it’s not going to work,” Sanders said.
“People who want to smoke are going to smoke, whether I have to open a cupboard door to get at it or not,” he reasoned. “Putting it behind closed doors doesn’t stop people from smoking.”
Barb Stainke, owner of Bonnie Blue on Scott Street, is a non-smoker who also believes the government is going too far.
“I think there is a need to have a place where cigarette smokers can go and smoke,” she said.
Stainke noted the Bonnie Blue stopped selling cigarettes almost two years ago when the Northwestern Health Unit first tried to impose a ban on smoking in all enclosed public places.
“For me, one of the considerations was, it’s a little hypocritical to sell them but not let you smoke,” she said of her decision to stop selling cigarettes.
Despite never having smoked, Stainke said she had an unusual reaction when there no longer was any cigarette smoke in her store.
“When we stopped the smoking in the [store], I went through withdrawal, and I’ve never smoked,” she said.
“I considered starting smoking one day because I wanted a cigarette,” she laughed, adding she resisted the urge.
Despite not having cigarettes for sale for nearly two years, Stainke said she still gets two or three customers a day asking to purchase them.
The manager at the Mohawk gas station on King’s Highway declined to comment because corporate office has not released an official position on the provincial government’s proposed legislation.
“Some of the other provinces have situations where you have to keep it locked up behind closed doors. That’s one extreme,” noted Sanders. “The other extreme that they’ve been talking about is not so much going that far, but getting rid of the advertising.
“Depending on which way they go, I guess that decides how much of an impact it’s going to have,” he added.
In a press release last week, the ministry stated “the proposed legislation would achieve stronger control over the sale, distribution, and use of tobacco products.”
“These new restrictions would include the banning of all countertop displays at retail outlets and prohibit the promotion of tobacco products in entertainment venues.
“Under the proposed act, it would become an offence to allow the purchaser to handle the product before buying it and to display tobacco products except as permitted by regulations,” it added.
The Ontario Convenience Stores Association has said it supports the government’s anti-smoking bill.
“We share the government’s objectives to reduce smoking among young people and to ensure that no person under the age of majority ever purchases a tobacco product from any of our stores,” said Dave Bryans, executive director of the OCSA.
Sanders said he supports the goal of keeping cigarettes out of the hands of minors, but that he’s concerned about the cost of refurbishing a portion of the store to meet the new requirements.
Bryans also expressed concern about the financial hardship to store owners, but said he felt “the minister listened to some of our concerns.”
If passed, the legislation will come into effect on May 31, 2006.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
