Why is there new legislation to address illegal tobacco?
The Ontario government is renewing its commitment to the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy by taking new steps to protect youth from the dangers of smoking and help smokers quit. The increasing availability of low-cost, illegal cigarettes threatens to undermine what the government has accomplished under its Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy. Amendments to the Tobacco Tax Act advance the government’s longstanding goal of reducing the use of tobacco throughout the province. Tobacco use in Ontario costs $7.7 billion each year in direct health care ($1.9 billion) and related productivity losses ($5.8 billion).
