Good day all
I would like to bring attention to everyone about the tobacco industry here in Ontario, one of my
clients produce a magazine for the convenience store industry which I do the photography for,
I was hired to shoot a new campaign which the government has started against the contraband industry here in Ontario. I'm not going to get into great detail about it, but some of the things I
found out opened my eyes, we all know smoking is bad for your health but at least there are strict regulations implemented by the government for the tobacco industry to abide by.
Contraband cigarettes have no quality control, which means they can put what ever they want into them. Think about it, whatever they want.
Not only are the cigarettes bad for you but they are ruining the corner store business. a large part
of a corner store revenue comes from tobacco products, if you compare the price of a carton
of cigarettes that are taxed to contraband cigarettes it is a $65 difference, add the fact that
corner store operators have to hide the product and usually you will find a vehicle nearby that is
selling contraband tobacco products , all this is killing the convenient store business.
To some this up quickly the contraband tobacco industry is hurting us all around; your kids that
are buying the product because it is affordable, the corner store owner who will soon disappear
because he can't afford to make a living due to the competition and the rising cost of utilities and
you because you will no longer be able to walk across the street to your favourite corner store to
buy a carton of eggs, milk or your lotto tickets.
Something we all have to think about is nothing comes cheap, we will always pay for it in the
end.
Have a great day
Martin
