News Release                             For Immediate Release

                                                                                                                       March 23, 2010

Ban on Blunt Wraps and Little Cigars

Effective April 6, 2010, retail sale of little cigars, also known as cigarillos, and blunt wraps packaged in less than 20 units is no longer permitted. Blunt wraps are sheets or tubes made of tobacco and used to roll cigarettes – similar to rolling paper. Like little cigars, blunt wraps are available in a wide range of flavours and sold singly or in small quantity “kiddie-packs” for as little as a $1 each. Minimum package quantities make the products less affordable and accessible to youth.

This is the second of three significant restrictions on tobacco sales from 2009 changes to the federal Tobacco Act to protect children and youth from tobacco marketing. Limits implemented in October 2009, restrict advertising of tobacco products in publications easily accessible by youth. Banning the sale of tobacco products containing flavouring additives (except menthol) begins July 2, 2010. Fruit and candy flavouring such as grape, cherry, peach and chocolate are added to little cigars and blunt wraps to attract youth to smoking. Little cigars are the fastest growing tobacco product on the market. National sales jumped from 53 million units in 2001 to 469 million units in 2008 with children and youth the primary market for these products.

“These changes help protect young people from marketing that entices them to smoke," said Miguelle Mann, Tobacco Enforcement and Education Officer with the Grey Bruce Health Unit. "They make tobacco products less affordable, less accessible and less appealing to the most vulnerable -- young people."

While enforcing the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, Public Health Enforcement and Education Officers will monitor premises that sell tobacco products and work with federal agencies to ensure compliance with the new marketing regulations.

For further information, call Public Health at 519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 or visit our website at www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca.

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For more information:

Miguelle Mann

Tobacco Enforcement & Education

Grey Bruce Health Unit

519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 ext. 1477