INUVIK - You may have noticed the effects of the new tobacco law the first time you walked into the Newsstand, or maybe it was the first time you had to walk all the way around NorthMart.

It's now illegal to display tobacco advertising and tobacco products in stores.

Inuvik businesses are complying with the new legislation.

Ali Carrington of the Newsstand stands in front of the new chocolate bar display in his store. Cigarettes are no longer allowed to be displayed as per new tobacco legislation in the NWT. The four signs above the candy are mandatory health warnings. The new act affects every store that sells tobacco products. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

Senior environmental health officer Chris Beveridge has the task of ensuring all Inuvik businesses follow the new rules.

"The idea behind the new act is to make tobacco inconvenient to the public," said Beveridge.

"Ideally, it is to prohibit youth from glancing at brands and choosing from how they look."

Beveridge said the Newsstand is a perfect example of the new law in action.

Now a customer sees a wall of chocolates and candy instead of cigarettes, rolling papers and cigarillos.

"You have to know what you want before you buy it now," said Beveridge.

According to Beveridge, other stores in town have followed suit and now all retailers of tobacco have hidden their products.

Stores with pharmacies are now prohibited from selling tobacco.

NorthMart has erected a barrier to separate the grocery side of the store from the retail side, because of the pharmacy nested deep in the aisles of beauty products and appliances.

"There is a pharmacy in NorthMart that is connected to the tobacco kiosk, so I gave them a choice, either get rid of the tobacco products or put up a wall," said Beveridge.

The barrier at NorthMart went up early last week. Since then, an employee has been posted at the site to make sure no one crosses.

Beveridge said the move was aimed to make the purchase of tobacco inconvenient.

"If someone wants to buy medicine, they have to walk outside and around the building for smokes," said Beveridge.

The NorthMart store is constructing a separate tobacco kiosk, and when that opens, passage through the store will be restored.

NorthMart manager Cliff Stringer said the booth will be completed by the end of February.

Local shopper and smoker Stephen Loreen is aware of the barricade and the new law which keeps the smokes out of sight.

Loreen said even though the law is strict, it will not stop smokers from doing their thing.

"Just because the smokes aren't on display any more it's not going to stop people from smoking," said Loreen.

Although the barricade in NorthMart is inconvenient for shoppers, Loreen said the blame shouldn't be put on the shoulders of the store.

"The barricade is bad, but it's not NorthMart's fault," he said.

"The wall will be down soon enough, walking around the store takes a bit longer but it's the law."

Loreen said that the new act may deter some new smokers from picking up the habit, but in the end the choice is theirs.

"It's all up to the person involved," said Loreen.

"It is their choice to start smoking, not anyone else's."

J.D. Keogak is a high school student who smokes. He thinks the barricade is a bad idea.

"It sucks that I have to walk all the way around the store, down the road to get to the other side," said Keogak.

Keogak said the choice to smoke is an individual one and the advertising ban won't keep people from starting.