HSA revokes, suspends licences of errant tobacco retailers

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Monday that it has revoked a retail licence and suspended four retail licences of errant tobacco retailers who sold tobacco products to minors under 18 years of age.

The employees of these five retail outlets failed to check the age of the minors before selling cigarettes to them.

They were caught via HSA's ground surveillance and enforcement activities to deter the illegal sale of tobacco products to minors.

The 7-Eleven retail store at Cineleisure Orchard will no longer be allowed to sell tobacco products, as its licence was permanently revoked for repeating the same offence.

It was first suspended for a six-month period in 2011 for selling tobacco products to minors.

Meanwhile, four other outlets which sold tobacco products to minors for the first time had their retail licences suspended for six months.

The five errant retailers are:

Anyone found guilty of selling tobacco products to minors under 18 years old will be liable to a fine of up to $5,000 for the first offence, and a fine of up to $10,000 for the subsequent offence.

The tobacco retail licence will also be suspended for six months for the first offence and revoked for the second offence.

If a retailer is found guilty of selling tobacco products to minors under 18 years old in school uniform or those below 12 years of age, its tobacco retail licence will be revoked immediately.

HSA also said that anyone convicted of acquiring any tobacco product for a minor will face a fine of up to $2,500 for the first offence and up to $5,000 for the subsequent offence.

Similarly, anyone convicted of furnishing tobacco product to a minor will be liable to a fine of up to $500 for the first offence and up to $1,000 for the subsequent offence.

Members of the public who have information on the illegal sales of tobacco products to minors are also encouraged to call the Tobacco Regulation Branch at 6684 2036 or 6684 2037.

To view the list of suspended and revoked tobacco retailers, click here.

minlee@sph.com.sg