London, ON – The Middlesex-London Health Unit has handed an Automatic Prohibition Notice to Loblaws Inc. which operates as the Loblaw Superstore at 3040 Wonderland Road South, in London. The order went into effect Monday and will remain in force for the next six months, forbiding the operators from selling or storing any form of tobacco in their store until May 25th, 2014. Automatic Prohibition Orders are issued by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to retailers convicted multiple times of selling tobacco products to persons under the age of 19, within the last five years.

"The restrictions that are in place to prevent youth from having access to tobacco are important parts of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. The penalties for not complying with the law can be severe,” says Linda Stobo, Program Manager of Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control with the Middlesex-London Health Unit. “Restricting youth access to tobacco products is a key strategy that reduces youth experimentation and tobacco use”.

Under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, it is illegal to sell any tobacco product, including cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, little cigars and blunt wraps, to a person under 19 years of age. The legislation requires retailers to ask anyone who appears to be under 25 years old for identification. Under the Act, it is also illegal to supply or give tobacco products to anyone under the age of 19; as a means to reduce youth access through social sources.

“If you supply cigarettes or buy tobacco for someone who is under 19 years of age, both you and the tobacco retailer could be charged for knowingly supplying tobacco to a minor,” says Stobo. “Preventing young people from having access to tobacco products through retail and social sources reduces experimentation and social acceptability of tobacco use.”

The Middlesex-London Health Unit conducts regular compliance inspections of all establishments that sell tobacco products in London and Middlesex County. Charges are laid against store employees and/or retailers found to be selling tobacco products to anyone under the age of 19. After two or more convictions within a five-year period, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care issues an Automatic Prohibition Order. Under the terms of the Order, operators must also post signs in the store notifying the public of the prohibition.

To help retailers comply with the provincial law, Health Unit staff visits all establishments that sell tobacco and provides information about the law. Retailers are also informed about their responsibilities under the Act through vendor workshops hosted by the Health Unit. Efforts to reduce youth access to tobacco are having a positive impact. Between 2003 and 2009, Canadian smoking rates for 18 and 19 year-olds dropped from 23.5% to 13%.

Media Contact:
Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager, Middlesex-London Health Unit, 519-663-5317 extension 2469 or 519-617-0570 (cell)

Spokesperson:
Linda Stobo, Program Manager, Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control, Middlesex-London Health Unit