The Toronto Sun
MATTER OF CONVENIENCE ; Study says teenage smoking linked to
corner stores but many remain skeptical
Tue Aug 2 2011
Page: 3
Section: News
Byline: CHRIS DOUCETTE, TORONTO SUN
Illustrations: photo by QMI Agency Photo Illustration
Teenage boys are more likely to light up if their
schools are located near a variety store that sells
cigarettes, according to a new study.
But many Torontonians are skeptical of the findings
in the University of Waterloo study.
"I don't think that has a lot to do with whether or not
our children take up smoking," Carol Swift said
recently. "I think if they're going to take up smoking,
they'll find a place (to buy cigarettes)."
Standing with her daughters Julia, 13, and Claire, 10
in front of a Mac's Milk store at Jarvis and Maitland
Sts. -- a corner that is typically teeming with teens
from nearby Jarvis Collegiate during the school
year--Swift said kids are more likely to light up if
they have smokers in their home or friends who puff
regularly.
While that is something the study also determined to
be a contributing factor, it primarily focused on the
proximity of tobacco retailers to schools.
The study surveyed more than 35,000 students from
76 Ontario high schools, to determine how likely it is
that nonsmokers, occasional smokers and daily
smokers will have a nicotine habit in the future.
It concluded that young males who had never smoked
were slightly more likely to take up the habit if their
school was located within a one-kilometre radius of a
store that sold cigarettes.
And the odds of them becoming full-time smokers
increased if there was more than one store selling
cigarettes within walking distance of school, the
study found.
Female teenagers were unaffected by the proximity
of tobacco retailers to their school, according to the
study.
Non-smokers Jill Dickieson, 20 and Andrea Lung,
19, said that having friends and family who smoke is
more of a factor than accessibility.
"Peer pressure and parents are big influences," Lung
said. "If I had an adult who smoked in my house, I'd
probably be a lot more interested or curious about
trying (smoking)."
The study suggests government should consider the
impact of tobacco retailers on students and "be
cautious when granting licences for establishments to
sell tobacco products."
But Dave Bryan, president of the Ontario
Convenience Stores Association, said small,
family-run businesses would be hit hard by such a
move.
"Often run by new Canadians, these small businesses
would surely be forced to close their doors and the
illegal contraband cigarette market would remain to
flourish," he said.
Bryans said the study doesn't appear to have
considered "contraband" smokes, which are popular
among teenagers.
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