A Quarter of Local Stores Fail to Ask For ID During Tobacco Compliance Checks

Source from:  The Journal Times 11/13/2008

More than one-fourth of clerks at Caledonia, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant stores failed to ask for identification during the latest series of tobacco compliance checks. Only 72 percent of stores asked for an ID when a tester tried to purchase cigarettes or other tobacco products, according to a press release from the joint Caledonia/Mount Pleasant Health Department. Five of the 49 stores failed the compliance checks by selling tobacco to minors. That puts the success rate for the mid-year 2008 checks at 90 percent. Businesses around the state averaged 95.4 percent in 2007, the release stated. Students are trained to do the checks in teams with law enforcement officers. Retailers who fail can receive warnings or citations. Another set of compliance tests is planned before the end of the year, according to the press release. Enditem