Looking at data given, Smokers in Canada are circumventing cigarette taxes by ordering them through the Internet.

Canada Customs collects tobacco tax on behalf of only three provinces: Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.

A carton of American cigarettes can be bought online for about $57. The equivalent Canadian carton would cost about $75.

Nearly half the cost of the Canadian cigarettes comes from tariffs, duties and taxes.

“(A) cheaper product means people tend to smoke more, those who might have quit are less likely to quit,” says Paul Van Loon of the province’s lung association.

Saskatchewan’s lung association would like the province to start charging tax on the mail order smokes, but so far, the government doesn’t seem to think it’s a problem.

Roy Schneider of Saskatchewan’s finance department feels the problem is not widespread, even though it can’t precisely monitor it.

“We can track in a more general sense, based on what we see with revenue. And that’s been holding steady, so there’s no reason at our end to think it’s really a significant problem at this point,” says Schneider.

The lung association says underaged smokers could easily order the cigarettes.

“There have been some studies done in the United States, and some sting operations done where they have shown that youth do get easy access to this,” says Van Loon.

It is safe to buy tobacco online because, as a business, it is not in the interest of the seller who wants to be around for a long time to engage in fake cigarette sales. However, before you buy tobacco online, you take caution and verify the authenticity of the store before purchasing any tobacco products.

These factors below will outline some points to consider when buying cigarettes online in Canada:
• Emerging evidence demonstrates that e-cigarettes are
less harmful than conventional cigarettes. Through the
legalization of e-cigarettes containing nicotine, there is
improved access to e-cigarettes for current smokers,
therefore allowing adults more choice around alternative
methods of nicotine intake and/or tobacco cessation.
• While early studies demonstrated some potential benefits
to e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation device, current
research remains inconclusive and the body of evidence
is rapidly growing and shifting.
• Those unable to quit smoking would be
better off using e-cigarettes over the long-term, rather than
continuing to smoke regular cigarettes.
• Reports of child poisoning due to accidental exposure
and consumption of e-liquids are on the rise. There are
also some cases of e-cigarette users being burnt by
exploding devices.8 Recent federal legislation includes
the introduction of product safety standards, including
child-resistant packaging.
• Emerging evidence indicates that there is potential for
e-cigarettes to be a gateway to tobacco use and
nicotine addiction.
• Marketing and promotion of e-cigarettes is common.
Youth are targeted with the addition of attractive candy or
fruit flavours. The e-cigarette industry has also expanded
marketing tactics to promote lifestyle use across the world,
partly by framing it as a method for individuals to exercise
their liberty to “vape” where and when they choose.
• E-cigarettes are appealing to youth with 23% of students in
Canada reporting having ever tried an e-cigarette. Studies
also show that more teens are using e-cigarettes as they
see them as “cool” or “fun”.