Palmerston North retailer fined for selling tobacco to a minor

A Palmerston North retailer has been fined $500 by the Ministry of Health for selling tobacco products to a minor.

The infringement notice was issued following a recent Controlled Purchase Operation carried out by MidCentral Public Health Services, which involved a volunteer under 18 being sent into retail outlets and asking to buy cigarettes.

During the Controlled Purchase Operation, 13 retailers in Palmerston North were visited. Only one - BP Connect Blue Moon in Fitzherbert Avenue - sold cigarettes to the under 18-year-old.

MidCentral Public Health Services SmokeFree Enforcement Officer Brett Munro congratulated those 12 retailers which did not sell to the under 18-year-old.

Mr Munro stressed the need for retailers to ask customers for identification if they looked under 25 years of age.

“Don’t rely on appearance - if they look under 25, ask for ID,” he said.

“Eradicating the sale of tobacco to minors is an important step towards achieving a Smoke-free Aotearoa by 2025”.

Mr Munro said a positive trend emerging was retailers choosing to go tobacco-free. To date, 10 retailers in the MidCentral DHB region had chosen to stop selling tobacco in their premises.

Any retailer wanting more information on how to become tobacco-free, how to comply with the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 or with concerns about retailers selling tobacco to minors (under 18’s) please contact a SmokeFree Enforcement Officer at MidCentral Public Health Services on 06 350 9110.
ENDS

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