Business
Monday, 28 June 2010, 1:25 pm Press Release: Association of Community Retailers
International research shows tobacco show bans notworking An independent research paper shows thatbans on showing tobacco products in retail outlets is notachieving any of the public health objectives claimed byanti-tobacco groups.
The paper was presented at a meetingin the UK House of Commons on 15 June 2010 and examines fourmajor international situations where tobacco displays havebeen banned – Canada, Iceland, Ireland and Thailand.
The paper’s conclusions are particularly relevant herewhere the Government is being asked by the Maori Party toban displays of tobacco from community-based, family-ownedstores in New Zealand.
The author of “Canada’sRuinous Tobacco Show Ban- Economic & Health Lessons”,Dr Patrick Basham from the UK Democracy Institute, reviewedempirical evidence about the public health effectiveness andeconomic impact of displays bans in Canada. The paper alsoprovides a comparative analysis of the show ban data inIceland, Ireland and Thailand.
Murray Gibson, a tobaccospokesperson for the Association of Community Retailers,says the paper must be a signal to Government Ministers andMPs that anti-tobacco groups have exaggerated the supposedbenefits of a tobacco show ban in New Zealand.
“Anti-tobacco groups in New Zealand have spreadmisinformation and exaggerated claims about what banningtobacco displays will achieve. These groups have seriouslymisrepresented the effects of the Canadian show ban andworked to keep from the public evidence that shows none oftheir claims have merit.
“The public can now see theevidence – banning displays does not reduce smoking andleads only to dire economic circumstances for our small,community retailers,” Mr Gibson said.
The paper’sconclusions are based on empirical evidence taken fromofficial health and retail association reports. it showsthat smoking prevalence among youth in Canada has changedlittle since show bans were implemented there. nine ofthe 10 Canadian provinces have show bans in place. In2006, when only two provinces – Manitoba andSaskatchewan—had show bans, there were no statisticalsignificant differences in youth prevalence rates betweenthose provinces that had bans and those that did not. In2006, the two provinces with the highest youth smoking rateswere the two with show bans.
The paper shows thatwhile tobacco show bans in Canada have been ineffectivein reducing tobacco consumption and smoking prevalence amongyouth smokers, it has succeeded at moving tobacco sales awayfrom legitimate retailers (disproportionately independentcorner shops) and towards the illicit tobacco market.Show bans blur the distinction between legal and illicittobacco products, the paper says.
The Canadian experiencedemonstrates that since show bans were implemented, thetobacco market has been distorted through reducing thenumber of legal tobacco retailers and, in doing so, hasdriven smokers towards the illicit black market.
Thepaper quotes the Canadian Convenience Store Association’s“Contraband Tobacco in Canada: Time for Action”, Toronto2009, which found that 61 percent of Ontario smokers and 75percent of Quebec smokers smoked illicit cigarettes.
Theban has also distorted competition between different sortsof tobacco retailers, significantly affecting one sort ofretailer (the independent, community retailer) more thanothers (supermarkets).
In other internationaljurisdictions, the paper says the Thai Governmentacknowledges that smoking is increasing among both women andadolescents despite the show ban, and according the WorldHealth Organisation, smoking prevalence in Thailand hasincreased almost 5 percent since the ban on displays wereintroduction in 2005.
It adds that a “Youth inIceland” survey of 14-16 year olds reports a mid-2006smoking prevalence of 15.5 percent, still above the 14.4percent prevalence among that age group before the ban wasimplemented in 2001.
Retailers in New Zealand find theresearch illuminating and say it reinforces the views thathave been expressed since 2007.
“The Government isbeing pressured by the Maori Party to implement a ban here.The Maori Party is the voice of the anti-tobacco groups thatclaim a ban on displays is justified because it would leadto reduced youth smoking and help those wanting to quitsmoking, while having little impact on the retail sector.this paper shows that these claims are groundless,” MrGibson said.
The Association of Community Retailers saysthe Government needs to stick to its choice in March 2009.“The National Government said it would look at theinternational evidence before making a choice on banningtobacco displays. I would urge them to look closely at thisdocument and take leadership by rejecting proposals to bandisplays,” said MrGibson.
ENDS