Press Releases
HSA Suspends Licences of 10 Tobacco Retailers
Audiences
Consumer
Healthcare professional
Industry member
Product type
Others
16 April 2018
This article has been migrated from an earlier version of the site and may display formatting inconsistencies.
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has suspended the tobacco retail licences of 10 errant tobacco retailers who sold cigarettes to minors under 18 years of age. They were caught via HSA’s ground surveillance and enforcement activities to deter the illegal sale of tobacco products to under-18 minors. (Please refer to Annex A in the pdf for the list of retailers and photos.)
Retail Licences Suspended
2 These 10 sellers did not ask for any identification to check the buyers’ age. They had claimed that they were busy or that the minors looked older than they were. Sellers take the risk of contravening the laws if they assess age by mere physical appearance of the buyer.
3 All 10 outlets were caught selling cigarettes to under-18 minors for the first time. The outlets are Hao Mart at 505 Canberra Link and 323 Tah Ching Road, M. R. Pasir Ris Minimart at 230 Pasir Ris Street 21, NYK Minimart at 365B Upper Serangoon Road, Noor Supermart at 468 Hougang Avenue 8, Rasul MiniMart at 108 Bedok Reservoir Road, Sai Mart at 144 Teck Whye Lane, MCP Fairmart at 135 Jurong Gateway Road, Chennai Store Pte. Ltd. at 456 Jurong West Street 41 and Luck Seng Coffee Stall at 115 Bukit Merah View.
4 The suspension prohibits the errant retailers from selling tobacco products for six months.
Reminder to Retailers
5 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.
6 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.
7 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. From 2015 to date, 68 tobacco retail licences were suspended and 10 were revoked by HSA.
8 In accordance with the licence application criteria, any person who commits an offence of selling tobacco to a person under 18 years of age will not be eligible to apply for a tobacco retail licence.
9 Members of the public can view the updated List of Suspended / Revoked Tobacco Retailers here.
Reminder to Members of the Public
10 HSA would also like to remind 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 any 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 2015 to date, 18 individuals have been caught for such offences.
11 HSA encourages members of the public who have information on the illegal sale 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
16 APRIL 2018