Here in Ontario, store owners will soon be required to “Go Dark”, meaning they will have to conceal all tobacco products from customers’ view. Over the past several weeks, convenience stores in my neighbourhood have been erecting new shelving units behind their counters with sliding doors that will hide their stock of cigs, in preparation for the new law, which goes into effect at midnight on June 1st.
The reason for hiding the smokes, according to the Government of Ontario, is that “out of sight, out of mind” will help people to buy and consume fewer cigarettes and help make it easier for people who are trying to quit to not give into temptation.
I’m not opposed to the idea, anything that might help more people to stop smoking, in my opinion, is a good thing.
But here’s a thought. 35% of Canadians are overweight and 24% are obese, and those numbers are climbing every year. Heart disease and diabetes related to obesity are killing more and more people all the time. So I’m thinking – maybe the government should consider making store owners hide the chocolate bars, soda pop and chips, too.
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I think this would work better with the food… I think food is more an impulse buy than cigarettes! But maybe it will help people from starting….
And of course they aren’t and won’t subsudise anything when it comes to small business, Jacob. It’s truly pathetic.
I think this is a great idea, but the gov’t should be helping to subsidize the cost of doing this.
Very good thought. I’m with you on this one. It’s yet another b.s. policy that will effect the small business where it hurts most – their wallets. They can be fined up to 5K if they don’t comply with getting some $800 black out cabinets installed. Either way, they end up screwed and paying for stuff the gov’t won’t let them expense out at the end of the year. They are between a rock and a hard place… yet again. *sigh*
I second that.