MA Retailers Have Been Caught Selling Tobacco to Minors 372 Times in 2015

Thursday, October 01, 2015

Patrick Sargent, GoLocalWorcester Reporter

Nearly 400 stores in Massachusetts were cited by the Food and Drug Administration, a federal agency, for selling cigarettes or other tobacco products to minors. Mobil was the worst of the offenders, as its stores were issued warning letters 13 times since the beginning of 2015.

GoLocal reviewed data provided by the FDA which details inspection violations dating back to 2005.

SEE SLIDES BELOW: The 13 Retailers in Worcester Caught Selling Tobacco to Minors in 2015

The FDA sends agents under the age of 18 into stores that sell tobacco products to test their compliance to laws that forbid the sale of tobacco to those under 18 years old. If found to be in violation, stores first receive a written warning letter explaining the potential penalties for selling to minors. Retailers receive civil monetary penalties for subsequent violation.

All told, 372 stores sold to the undercover agents during the 4,507 inspections conducted in the state so far this year.

John Schachter, a spokesman with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, told GoLocal that it is crucially important to keep cigarettes and other tobacco products out of the hands of minors.

“It’s the only product out there that kills a third or even half of its users,” Schachter said. “We need to send a very clear message to young people that tobacco and cigarettes are not acceptable and are just so bad for you.”

Nearly 11 percent of Massachusetts high school students smoke, according to data from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, far less than the over 15 percent of high schoolers who smoke throughout the U.S. Roughly 17 percent of the state’s adults smoke, about equal with the national figure of adult smokers.

Tobacco Sales in Worcester

According to a 2011 Worcester Regional Youth Health Survey, 39% of high school students reported that they have used cigarettes at least once in their life. This percentage is right in line with the percentage of high schoolers that have at least tried smoking across the state, and nearly five percent less than the national figure.

There were 13 different retailers that sold tobacco to minors in Worcester in 2015. Only one retailer repeated the violation - Brattle Stop Market at 1 Brattle Street - and in both occasions was issued a civil money penalty, meaning that the market has had previous violations.

For a full list of Worcester retailers caught selling tobacco to minors in 2015, see below.