An Update on Contraband Cigarettes Purchased on First Nations Reserves

The effectiveness of tobacco taxation to discourage smoking can be undermined by the widespread availability of contraband tobacco. Data from the Ontario Tobacco Survey are used to estimate the extent of purchasing contraband cigarettes on reserves in Ontario and its impact on taxation revenues. This update compares estimates from 2005/6 with estimates using data for 1,365 respondents interviewed between July 2007 and June 2008.