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Search forMore than a third of shops found to be breaking the law by selling tobacco to children in undercover operations
Tuesday, November 11, 2008, 15:38
Fifteen out of 40 retailers in Cornwall sold tobacco to under-age volunteers, without asking them for identification.
Offending shops caught doing so again could face a maximum fine of £25,000.
The investigation by the county's trading standards officers saw children sent into stores in St Austell, Bodmin Truro, Camborne, Redruth, Falmouth and Penzance.
It followed a move on October 1 last year to raise the legal age limit for buying tobacco from 16 to 18.
Trading standards officer Julie Benson said: "We were extremely disappointed with this result, particularly because we carried out the investigation during half-term week.
"We had hoped that this would mean retailers were being more vigilant with regard to under-age sales because of an increase of young people being out in towns rather than at school.
"Aside from anything else, the health of these young people is at stake if they are smoking at such a young age."
Ms Benson said the 40 targeted shops were being revisited to allow trading standards officers to check that the right systems were in place to prevent under-age sales of tobacco.
Officers were also due to hand out advice on extra measures such as staff training.
Those retailers that did not sell tobacco to children will be congratulated while their point-of-sale advertising will be examined to ensure it fits in with the law.
Ms Benson added: "The premises that sold cigarettes to persons under 18 did so for the first time and therefore we want to work with them to help prevent an occurrence.
"We would see prosecution as a last resort for persistent offenders.
"If future sales are made at premises that have sold previously, the ultimate sanction could be prosecution which carries a maximum fine of up to £2,500 but any decision is made on a case-to-case basis and in accordance with our enforcement policy."
Lynda Quee, manager of the Primary Care Trust's 'stop smoking' service, said it was important that young people were discouraged from taking up the habit.
"The younger someone starts smoking, the more likely they are to suffer ill health and die early because of it," she warned.
"Young people quickly become addicted to nicotine which makes it more difficult to stop smoking. Easy access to cigarettes is an important element to whether a young person takes up the habit."
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