Press Releases
HSA Revokes Licence of Recalcitrant Retailer and Suspends Licences of Four Retailers for Selling Tobacco to Under-18 Minors
28 September 2015
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The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has revoked one retail licence and suspended four retail licences of errant tobacco retailers who sold tobacco products to minors under 18 years of age. (Please refer to Annex A for the list of retailers and photos.)
2 The five sellers, who were employees of the respective 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 under-18 minors.
Retail Licence Revoked
3 The tobacco retail licence at the 7-Eleven retail store at Cineleisure Orchard was permanently revoked as it had committed the same offence for the second time. It was first suspended for a 6-month period in 2011 for selling tobacco products to minors under the age of 18. Despite its previous conviction, the outlet continued to commit the offence, resulting in its licence being revoked. It will no longer be allowed to sell tobacco products.
Retail Licences Suspended
4 Four other outlets which sold tobacco products to under-18 minors for the first time had their retail licences suspended. The suspension will prohibit the errant retailers from selling tobacco products for six months.
5 The suspension and revocation of these licences are part of HSA’s surveillance and enforcement activities to curb the illegal sale of tobacco products to under-18 minors.
Reminder to Retailers to Educate their Employees
6 As those caught selling tobacco to minors in all five cases were employees of the suspended outlets, HSA would like to remind tobacco retail licensees that they are responsible for all transactions of tobacco products taking place at their outlets, as well as for the actions of their employees.
7 HSA urges all tobacco retail licensees to educate their employees on the law pertaining to the sale of tobacco products and for sellers to check the age of those who wish to buy tobacco products.
8 Under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, anyone caught selling tobacco products to persons below the age of 18 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 under-18 minors in school uniform or those below 12 years of age, the tobacco retail licence will be revoked, even at the first offence. In the last three years, 39 tobacco retail licences were suspended and 18 were revoked.
Reminder to Members of the Public
9 HSA also reminds the public not to supply any tobacco products to under-18 minors. Anyone caught buying or acquiring any tobacco product for a person below the age of 18 years, 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 tobacco product to a person below the age of 18, 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 2011 till Aug 2015, 70 people have been caught for such offences.
10 Members of the public can view the updated List of Suspended / Revoked Tobacco Retailers here.
11 HSA encourages members of the public who have information on the illegal sales of tobacco products to under-18 minors to call the Tobacco Regulation Branch at Tel: 66842036 or 66842037 during office hours.
HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY
SINGAPORE
28 SEPTEMBER 2015