Illegal tobacco rate holds steady in B.C.

Cigarette retailers are frustrated after the results of a study on illegal tobacco in British Columbia were published.

The Western Convenience Stores Association (WCSA) commissioned its annual contraband tobacco study, examining discarded cigarette butts at 50 sites throughout B.C.

Samples were gathered over a two-week period in September and the findings showed that the average rate of contraband use at sites tested across the province is 14.7 percent.

“Our data shows that illegal tobacco is easily accessible at schools and on college and university campuses throughout the province,” says Andrew Klukas, Presidents of the WSCA. “Once a trafficking network and supply chain is established, tobacco can easily be swapped for illicit drugs and that should be of even greater concern to parents.”

Contraband tobacco is sold without age-verification checks or mandated health warnings and according to the RCMP it’s also linked with organized crime, negatively impacting public safety. With community safety being a major issue in this election year, retail members of the WCSA are encouraging the Clark government to act.

Vancouver, Richmond, and Burnaby remain the highest cities in the province with illegal tobacco rates of 27.5, 24.5 and 23.1 percent respectively. Meanwhile, Kelowna has two locations on the top 10 list of specific locations for contraband tobacco, with UBCO and the Kelowna Service Canada Centre both making the grade.

TOP TEN LOCATIONS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA-2016