Contraband cigarettes popular with teens

Teenagers are smoking a surprising amount of contraband cigarettes, which is undermining tobacco-prevention strategies, a new study suggests.

A report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, released Tuesday, found that contraband cigarettes — or those purchased from First Nations reserves — made up 17 per cent of all brands consumed by adolescents. The results were even higher in Ontario and Quebec, rising to 25 per cent.

The study examined responses from more than 41,000 high school students who took part in the 2006/07 Youth Smoking Survey. Among students in Grades 9 to 12, 5.2 per cent were daily smokers. Of those, 13.1 per cent reported that cigarettes from First Nation reserves were their preferred brand.

These respondents also typically consumed more than other smokers — 16.8 cigarettes a day versus 11.9 cigarettes.

"Although the use of illicit substances by adolescents is well known, the use of contraband cigarettes in this age group is striking," said Dr. Russell Callaghan from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, and one of the report's co-authors, in a statement.

"The widespread use of First Nations/native brand cigarettes, especially in Ontario and Quebec, presents a serious challenge to tobacco-control strategies, which attempt to use accessibility and price mechanisms to influence adolescents' smoking behaviour."

Callaghan said smoking-prevention strategies will need to address this issue, but added that First Nations jurisdiction would have to be recognized if any policy changes are to be made.