Walls of smokes coming down

It’s usually one of the first things you see in a convenience store. The wall of Cigarettes typically stands just behind the cashier’s counter and just beyond the racks of chocolate bars and candy. But soon the tobacco displays — known as powerwalls — will have to be taken down. Retailers across the province will be banned from stocking Cigarettes and tobacco products in powerwalls as of May 31, under the smoke-free Ontario Act. A teen anti-smoking group created by Niagara Region’s public health department — REACT (Resist, Expose and Challenge Tobacco) — spread awareness of the upcoming ban Sunday at a Niagara IceDogs game. REACT member Cara Bulger said research has shown cigarette powerwalls are a strong lure for young people. It’s easy for young people used to grabbing a chocolate bar at the counter to make the switch to buying highly visible smokes, she said. “If they’re hidden, it goes by the model of out of sight, out of mind, so they’ll be less likely to purchase them,” said Bulger, a 17-year-old student at Lakeshore Catholic Secondary School in Port Colborne. REACT members set up an information booth in the foyer of Jack Gatecliff Arena, where the Dogs were taking on the Peterborough Petes. The teens figured the game would allow them to spread the word to a lot of people in a short time frame, 16-year-old Pola Kurzydlo of Thorold said. “There are people from a lot of age groups here we can target,” she said. Niagara Region’s public health department said it has been working with businesses to ensure compliance with Ontario’s smoke-free legislation. It’s usually one of the first things you see in a convenience store. The wall of Cigarettes typically stands just behind the cashier’s counter and just beyond the racks of chocolate bars and candy. But soon the tobacco displays — known as powerwalls — will have to be taken down. Retailers across the province will be banned from stocking Cigarettes and tobacco products in powerwalls as of May 31, under the smoke-free Ontario Act. A teen anti-smoking group created by Niagara Region’s public health department — REACT (Resist, Expose and Challenge Tobacco) — spread awareness of the upcoming ban Sunday at a Niagara IceDogs game. REACT member Cara Bulger said research has shown cigarette powerwalls are a strong lure for young people. It’s easy for young people used to grabbing a chocolate bar at the counter to make the switch to buying highly visible smokes, she said. “If they’re hidden, it goes by the model of out of sight, out of mind, so they’ll be less likely to purchase them,” said Bulger, a 17-year-old student at Lakeshore Catholic Secondary School in Port Colborne. REACT members set up an information booth in the foyer of Jack Gatecliff Arena, where the Dogs were taking on the Peterborough Petes. The teens figured the game would allow them to spread the word to a lot of people in a short time frame, 16-year-old Pola Kurzydlo of Thorold said. “There are people from a lot of age groups here we can target,” she said. Niagara Region’s public health department said it has been working with businesses to ensure compliance with Ontario’s smoke-free legislation.