When I first got into the convenience store industry as a clerk in the 1970s, more than four out of 10 Canadians smoked. Today it’s closer to one in 10. That’s a good thing.

I’m a former smoker myself. I quit more than a decade ago, and I know firsthand how difficult it can be. So, when World No Tobacco Day arrives each May 31, I take it personally.

OPINION: World No Tobacco Day -- Let’s talk about what’s actually happening at the counter Back to video

There is a persistent myth that convenience stores somehow profit from addiction and want customers to keep smoking. The reality behind the counter is far more human than the caricature suggests.

We know our customers

Independent convenience store operators often work 12 to 16 hours a day, six or seven days a week. Over time, regular customers become more than transactions. We know their names, their routines, and often their struggles.

We know who is trying to quit smoking for the third time this year. Customers talk openly about their frustrations and failed attempts to quit. They ask what products might help. More recently, they’ve been asking about a smoke-free alternative that governments removed from convenience store shelves – nicotine pouches.

And while we aren’t permitted to sell what our customers want, they tell us........

© Edmonton Sun