Numbers Are in for Cigarette Stings

Source from:  By Brian Lockhart Staff Writer October 27 2007 10/29/2007

The number of retailers caught selling cigarettes to minors in Fairfield County dropped in the past year but rose statewide. The statistics were presented yesterday at an annual hearing at the Capitol on the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services' efforts to combat underage smoking. "Most people don't start smoking when they are adults," said Deputy Commissioner Peter Rockholz, who led the meeting. The meeting and report are required under federal regulations enacted in the mid-1990s requiring states to conduct random, unannounced inspections of tobacco vendors. If the inspection failure rate rises above 20 percent, states risk losing federal aid for substance abuse initiatives. According to the department's report, which covers the federal fiscal year from Oct. 1, 2006, until the beginning of this month, the number of Connecticut retailers selling to those under 18 increased from 11.4 percent to 14 percent. The largest number of violations - 18.1 percent - was in the northwest section of the state, followed by the north central region, at 17.3 percent. Southwestern Connecticut posted a 13.9 percent rate, a decrease from 18.5 percent last year, but higher than the 2005 low of 12.8 percent. Cal Mellor, assistant chief of the state's tax division, attributed the decrease in Fairfield County to stepped-up enforcement efforts in the region as a result of 2006 statistics. About 13.5 percent of the 2007 violations were found in eastern Connecticut, with the south central section of the state having the lowest number, at 6.5 percent. Carol Meredith, the department's assistant director of prevention services, said yesterday she was uncertain why the overall number of violations had increased. Barbara Koren, who oversees convenience stores for Waterbury-based Mercury Fuel Services, attributed the rise to chain convenience stores being replaced by small markets. Koren, who spoke at the hearing, said she is able to act quickly when any of her employees are caught selling tobacco to minors. Koren said she attended the hearing to state that she and her company support the department's efforts. Her stores were tested 25 times in the past year and failed twice, she said, resulting in additional training for staff and internal follow-up stings. "A chain has much more control over what's going on," Koren said. Rockholz said that as of Oct. 1, the legislature increased penalties for selling tobacco to minors. First-time offenders face criminal fines of $200 for the first offense, $350 for a second within 18 months, and $500 for any subsequent offenses. Minors under 18 caught purchasing tobacco could face $50 criminal fines for the first offense and $100 for subsequent offenses. Larry Owens of Middletown attended the hearing to complain that the state was not doing enough to crack down on store owners who sell individual cigarettes - called "little tobacco" or "looseys" - to minors for around 50 cents. "The sale of loose cigarettes should be a felony," Owens said. Mellor agreed, saying stores now caught selling loose cigarettes can be charged a civil penalty but are not open to criminal prosecution. "It seems they do target children," Mellor said. "And once the cigarettes are out of the pack, you have no way of proving whether or not they've been taxed." Enditem