Display of tobacco products is permitted at the federal level. However, all provinces have prohibited it with Newfoundland and Labrador being the most recent. Saskatchewan was the first of the Canadian provinces to implement a display ban in 2005.
General
There are currently approximately 30,600 retailers selling cigarettes in Canada. In 2008 smoking prevalence was approximately 18% and the total cigarette market was estimated to be 30.4 billion cigarettes. The average retail selling price for a packet of cigarettes varies between CAN$ 7.50 and CAN$ 9.00 of which 70-75% is tax. Read more
Legislation
Display of tobacco products is permitted at the federal level. However, all provinces have prohibited it with Newfoundland and Labrador being the most recent to pass legislation in May 2009 taking effect on 1 Jan, 2010. Cigarette packs carry pictorial health warnings on both the front (50%) and back (50%) of packaging. Read more
Illicit Trade
About 13 billion illegal tobacco cigarettes are being sold in Canada (2008). With illegal cigarettes representing over 1 in 3 purchases in some states Canada has one of the worst illicit trade problems in the world. Read more
Media
Tobacco ban attacked by expert: Similar move in Canada led to shops closing and jobs being lost, says store boss.
The Press and Journal, 19 March 2009
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Canadian Reports and Studies
Canadian Convenience Stores Association
Contraband Tobacco in Canada: Time For Action – 2009 Status Report.
The report highlights the scale of the contraband tobacco problem in Canada and states that "[...] Smuggling and selling contraband tobacco has become a gateway crime for young people to other criminal activities such as drugs and weapons trafficking."
Click here for the full report
GfK National Study for the Canadian Tobacco Manufacturers’ Council 2008
Illegal Tobacco Sales: A Crisis for Canadians.
The survey of 2000 adult smokers (19+) highlights the incidence and relative share of illicit "Tailor-Made" cigarettes among adult smokers, their awareness of such products as well as the purchase patterns of illicit trade in Canada.
Click here for the full report