News Release                   For Immediate Release

October 18, 2004

88% of Tobacco Retailers Pass Compliance Monitoring

Ontario’s Tobacco Control Act makes it an offence for anyone to sell or give cigarettes to an individual who is less than 19 years of age.  Tobacco Control Act Enforcement Officers with the Public Health Unit recently completed the Ministry of Health’s mandatory compliance monitoring of tobacco retailers for 2004.  Compliance monitoring entails having enforcement officers, with the assistance of 15 to 17-year-old test shoppers, visit tobacco retailers and attempt to purchase cigarettes. 

One hundred and ten Grey and Bruce tobacco retailers were tested this year.  Eighty-eight per cent of these retailers passed the test.  “This year’s results of 88% are similar to last year’s, but we have seen an overall decline in compliance from our high of 94% in 2001,” states Enforcement Officer Kim McDougall-Hodge.

Most retail establishments were selected randomly for compliance monitoring.  Others were selected because they failed the previous year or as a result of specific compliants about their establishments.  "We receive most complaints from Crimestoppers.  Complaints are generally about individuals supplying cigarettes rather then stores selling cigarettes to young people,” says McDougall-Hodge.

It is an offence to sell or give cigarettes to an individual who is less than 19 years of age.  Anyone who is approached by a young person should realize that the individual is hoping you are ignorant of the law.

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For more information:

Miguell Mann or Kim McDougall-Hodge

Tobacco Enforcement and Education Officers

Grey Bruce Health Unit

(519) 376-9420