Press Releases
HSA Suspends Licences of Eight Retailers for Selling Tobacco to Minors
Audiences
Consumer
Industry member
Product type
Others
12 January 2017
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The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has suspended the tobacco retail licences of eight errant tobacco retailers who sold tobacco products 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.)
2 HSA inspectors have observed that the majority of errant retailers do not ask for any form of identification to check the buyers’ age. Retailers take the risk of committing an offence if they assess age by mere physical appearance.
Retail Licences Suspended
3 All eight outlets were caught selling cigarettes to under-18 minors. The outlets are Kwang Guan Huat at 95 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh, Hui Huat Yew Kai Minimart at 26 Jalan Membina, Vel Murugan Trading at 419 Fajar Road, Kai Soon Supermarket at 123 Hougang Avenue 1, Good Price Centre at 18 Bedok South Road, Happy Family Neighbourhood Budget Minimart at 708 Tampines Street 71 and two 7-Eleven outlets located at 245 Pasir Ris Street 21 and 131 Marsiling Rise respectively. The suspension will prohibit the errant retailers from selling tobacco products for six months.
4 One of the outlets – Vel Murugan Trading, has since ceased operations. However, actions will still be taken against the seller.
Reminder to Retailers
5 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 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 2014 to date, 40 tobacco retail licences were suspended and 20 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 2014 to date, 31 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
12 JANUARY 2017