Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Apr 26/02) - The territorial government has hiked the cost of tobacco and cigarettes last week in an effort to discourage smoking among young people.

The tax on a pack of 25 cigarettes was increased Monday by 75 cents and loose tobacco was increased by two cents per gram.

Smoking among young people in the NWT is 34 per cent -- more than twice the national average.

"Ultimately, the best way to reduce the severity and rate of tobacco-related illness is to decrease the number of people who start smoking," Handley said last week.

Mid-Town Market owner Nazeem Kadri did not hike his price the full 75 cents. His price went from $7.50 to $8 per pack of cigarettes.

"I'm taking a cut-back in my prices here," Kadri said. "I'm not making a penny off them -- just the cost."

"Now I'm paying for the shipping, so I'm actually taking a loss."

On Monday, Kadri said that he'd see what other stores were doing with their prices, before changing his price.

Debbie Karl, owner of The Newsstand raised her price to $8 per pack also.

"It's going to make us very little money," Karl said. "We figured it's one thing that people are conscious of, so I'll try and keep that as low as I can because when someone comes in to buy cigarettes they may also buy a chocolate bar at the same time."

Mid-Town clerk Cody Summers said the customer's reaction was split over the hike in price.

"It's about 50-50 right now," Summers said. "Fifty per cent are kind of mad about it, but 50 per cent are not happy with it, but they are glad that it will give them incentive to quit."

"A small majority just don't care,' he added. "They said they'll pay $10 or $15 a pack if they have to."

He says the price hike has also inspired him to kick the habit.

"It gives you one more excuse to get rid of a bad habit."