TOBACCO ADS ON THE RISE DESPITE BANS
By Adnews Staff
Cigarette advertising in corner stores has actually increased since a law banning such ads was enforced last year, according to Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. But the cigarette brands aren't being pushed directly. Instead, cigarette makers are promoting cigarette-sponsored events. The group analyzed a national survey of 5,000 corner stores and gas stations conducted for Health Canada last summer. In Ontario, the number of stores using promotional cigarette ads jumped from 18% in 1996 to 26%. Nova Scotia had an even bigger jump, while in-store promotions dropped in other Atlantic provinces, as well as in Quebec and Western Canada. Nationally, 37.4% of corner stores and gas stations carried cigarette advertising in 1997. This compares to 36% in 1996, before the Tobacco Control Act was passed. For the time being, no laws are being broken because tobacco sponsorships are allowed until this October. The Tobacco Control Act bans advertising in retail stores, on billboards and bus shelters and in publications that have less than 85% adult readership.