HSA Revoked Licence of a Repeat Offender, and Another for Selling Tobacco to Youth in School Uniform

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has revoked the licences of two errant tobacco retailers and suspended four others who sold cigarettes to underage persons. They were caught via HSA’s ground surveillance and enforcement activities to deter the illegal sale of tobacco products to underage persons. (Please refer to Annex A in the pdf for the list of retailers and photos.)

Retail Licences Revoked

2          The retail outlet, Fair Inn Food Place located at 806 Woodlands Street 81, was caught selling cigarettes to an underage person for the second time after its licence was first suspended for six months, in January 2016.

3          Excellence Supermarket located at 131 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh had its licence revoked for selling cigarettes to an underage person in school uniform.  These two retail outlets will no longer be able to sell tobacco products.

Retail Licences Suspended

4          HSA also suspended the retail licences of four outlets after the operators were caught selling to underage persons for the first time.  The outlets are:

5          The suspension prohibits the errant retailers from selling tobacco products for six months.

Reminder to Retailers

6          HSA takes a stern approach towards errant retailers and will not hesitate to take prosecution actions against them. Tobacco retail licensees are reminded that they are responsible for all transactions of tobacco products taking place at their outlets, as well as the actions of their employees.  Sellers take the risk of contravening the laws if they assess age by mere physical appearance of the buyer. 

7          All tobacco retail licensees are reminded to educate their employees on the law pertaining to the sale of tobacco products and for sellers to verify the age of those who wish to buy tobacco products by calculating the date of birth. The Minimum Legal Age (MLA) to use, possess or buy tobacco products was raised to 19 years with effect from 1 January 2019, and it will be raised to 20 years with effect from 1 January 2020 and 21 years with effect from 1 January 2021.

8          Under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, anyone caught selling tobacco products to persons below the MLA is liable, on conviction in Court, to a maximum fine of up to $5,000 for the first offence and up to $10,000 for the second or subsequent offence.  In addition, the tobacco retail licence will be suspended for 6 months for the first offence and revoked for the second offence.  However, if any outlet is found selling tobacco products to underage persons in school uniform or those below 12 years of age, the tobacco retail licence will be revoked, even at the first offence. From 2015 to 2018, 83 tobacco retail licences were suspended and 13 were revoked by HSA.

9          In accordance with the licence application criteria, any person who commits an offence of selling tobacco to a person under the MLA will not be eligible to apply for a tobacco retail licence.

10        Members of the public can view the updated List of Suspended / Revoked Tobacco Retailers here.

Reminder to Members of the Public

11         HSA would also like to remind the public not to supply any tobacco products to underage persons. Anyone caught buying or acquiring any tobacco product for a person below the MLA is liable, on conviction in Court, to a maximum fine of up to $2,500 for the first offence and up to $5,000 for the second or subsequent offence. Similarly, anyone caught giving or furnishing any tobacco product to a person below the MLA is liable, on conviction in Court, to a maximum fine of up to $500 for the first offence and up to $1,000 for the second or subsequent offence. From 2015 to date, 18 individuals have been caught for such offences.

12        HSA encourages members of the public who have information on the illegal sale or supply of tobacco products to underage persons to call the Tobacco Regulation Branch at Tel: 66842036 or 66842037 during office hours.

HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY
SINGAPORE
25 FEBRUARY 2019

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