The Smoke Free Ontario Act prohibits display of tobacco products in convenience stores. Instead, store clerks would present cigarette buyers a binder with only photos of tobacco products to help consumers make their choice.
Rick Byun, spokesman of Ontario Health Promotion Minister Margarett Best admits the new law may adversely affect the business of stores. "We're mindful of that but it's also only about the health of Ontarians... I think everyone agrees that smoking cigarettes is damaging, it's harmful to oneself," Byun told the Ottawa Sun.
However, instead of penalizing stores, enforcers would visit stores to encourage its owners and staff to cooperate with the anti-smoking law.
To go around the law some stores installed eight-foot power walls with doors where cigarette companies could still advertise their products. Health Canada is not in favor of the power walls. In a statement, quoted by Ottawa Sun, Health Canada said, "The ubiquitous presence of these promotional efforts means that there is an unavoidable spill to young people and others, including former smokers and smokers trying to quit."
Saskatchewan banned even the power walls in 2002, while Alberta will ban it July 1.
