County vendors comply with tobacco law

Underage cigarette sales are not a problem in Haldimand.

So far this year there have been no fines issued in the county and only two warning letters for the sale of tobacco to a minor.

Amy Jones, tobacco control officer with the Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit, said this area has one of the highest compliance rates in the province. On the other hand, the rate for youth smokers is relatively high at 21%.

"This is really good news," she said on Monday. "By the sounds of talking with other areas, Haldimand is doing quite well."

Norfolk County also had good results with only three warning letters being issued.

Stevens said the real problem is the other avenues underage smokers use to get their cigarettes. They could be getting older friends or family to buy them cigarettes, and there is no way to regulate that. She said the sale of cigarettes on the reserve to minors could also be a problem.

In 2009, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health reported 43% of all cigarettes consumed by Ontario high school students who smoke every day were contraband tobacco.

The health unit hires youth, 15-16 years old, to act as test shoppers to ensure vendors are following the law. They are paid $11 per hour.

Last month, the health unit placed advertisements for youths interested in the position.

Test shoppers work alongside the tobacco control officer to perform checks twice a year in the area. Vendors are required to ask for identification if an individual looks under the age of 25.

"They generally don't get anything sold to them," said Sandy Stevens, program coordinator of the health unit's healthy environment team. "To get a sale is quite rare for us."