Press Releases
HSA Revokes Licence of Retailer Caught Selling Tobacco to Students
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Consumer
Healthcare professional
Industry member
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Others
2 May 2013
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Public cautioned not to buy or supply tobacco products for youths under-18
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has revoked the licence of 1 errant tobacco retailer and suspended the licences of 2 other tobacco retailers for selling tobacco products to youths under 18 years of age.
Retailer's licence revoked
2 Lam Chang, a tobacco retail outlet at Bedok North Avenue 2, will no longer be allowed to sell tobacco products from 1 May 2013 as its licence has been revoked. An employee of the outlet was caught by HSA inspectors for blatantly selling cigarettes to two youths under-18 within a span of 5 minutes on the same day. The first sale was to a 15 year old student and the second sale was to a 13 year old student in school uniform. Besides having its licence revoked, the errant seller of the above outlet has also been convicted in Court and fined $2,000.
Retailers' licences suspended
3 HSA has also suspended 2 other tobacco retail outlets – Fair Price Underground Super Store at Hougang Street 52 and Nirmala Provision at Bukit Batok East Avenue 4 – for 6 months each for selling tobacco products to youths under-18. The sellers, who were both employees of the suspended outlets, were convicted in Court and fined for their respective offences.
4 The revocation and suspensions of licences followed HSA's routine surveillance and enforcement activities to curb the illegal sale of tobacco products to youths under-18. Please refer to Annex A of pdf for details of the fines.
Message to retailers
5 HSA reminds tobacco retailers that they are responsible for all transactions of tobacco products taking place at their outlets, as well as for the actions of their employees. 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 also 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 youths under-18 in school uniform or those below 12 years of age, the tobacco retail licence will be revoked, even at the first offence.
Message to the public – Supply of tobacco product to under-18 youth
6 HSA has also observed cases where members of the public or older friends help youths under-18 purchase tobacco products. HSA urges and reminds the public not to supply any tobacco product to youths under-18. 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.
7 Members of the public can view the updated List of Suspended / Revoked Tobacco Retailers at: https://www.hsa.gov.sg/tobacco-regulation/suspended-revoked-licences.
8 HSA also encourages members of the public who have information on the illegal supply of tobacco products to youths under-18 to call the Tobacco Regulation Branch at Tel: 66842036 or 66842037 during office hours.
HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY
2 MAY 2013