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Fewer retailers selling tobacco to minors, study shows MELANIE HENNESSEY Special to The IFP It seems some local retailers are getting the message from the Halton Region Health Department-- don't sell tobacco to minors. Figures presented at the Region's health and social services committee meeting recently showed of the 109 warnings issued to Halton retailers in 2005 for failing health department compliance checks-- meaning they sold tobacco to test shoppers aged 15 to 17-- only 10 re-offended and were charged. "That (the low number of reoffenders) is a good thing," said Halton Environmental Health Manager Tony Amalfa. "The intent is that we get the message across." After a business fails a compliance check, it receives a warning. Health department staff then follow up with them within three weeks with an enforcement check. At this point, retailers who once again sell tobacco to a test shopper are charged. A report from Halton Medical Officer of Health Dr. Bob Nosal presented to the committee revealed in other years where 10 charges were laid against retailers for selling tobacco to minors, lower numbers of warnings were initially issued, meaning a high percentage were reoffending. For example, in 2002, 26 warnings were issued and then 10 charges were laid, so almost half of the retailers checked were reoffending. Nosal's report outlined the other findings from last year's round of local tobacco compliance checks. A total of 762 checks were completed in 2005, which is up from the average of 240 checks per year. The increase is due to provincial funding the Region received, allowing it to ramp up its tobacco monitoring program. "By doing it this way we can get a really good handle on the ones that aren't complying," noted Amalfa. Of the 184 gas bar visits conducted by test shoppers, 18 per cent were willing to sell tobacco to minors. This is up slightly from 2004, when 84 gas bars were checked and 16 per cent sold tobacco to the test shoppers. At convenience stores throughout Halton, 398 checks were done, with 13 per cent ready to sell cigarettes to youths. In 2004, 10 per cent of the 145 compliance checks carried out at convenience stores failed. Health department staff also conducted 45 checks at supermarkets and 135 at restaurants, with the non-compliance rates for those being 20 per cent and 10 per cent respectively. In 2004, only a handful of visits were done for restaurants and supermarkets, with none willing to sell tobacco to minors. Amalfa noted that fewer and fewer restaurants are selling tobacco, and the ones that still do are mostly bars. In each local municipality, the health department also broke down the numbers and compared variety store non-compliance rates. Milton and Burlington both saw increases from year to year, going from five per cent to 13 per cent and nine per cent to 13 per cent respectively. Oakville stayed the same at 14 per cent, while Halton Hills actually went down to eight per cent from 10 per cent. The health department is also now posting the names and locations of retail outlets that have been found guilty in the last six months of selling tobacco to a person under 19 on its Web site, www.halton.ca.