HSA Suspends Licences Of Recalcitrant Tobacco Retailers For Six Months

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has suspended the licences of three tobacco retailers in March and April 2010 for repeatedly selling tobacco products to underage persons.

2      On 12 September 2009, HSA's plainclothes inspectors caught an employee working at a 7-Eleven outlet located at 245 Victoria Street, Bugis Village for selling a packet of cigarettes to a person below the age of 18. The employee was compounded for the offence. This is the 2nd time an employee of this outlet has been caught for a similar offence. As such, HSA has suspended the store's retail licence for six months from 1 March 2010 to 31 August 2010.

3      An employee from Fu Chan F&B Pte Ltd was also caught selling a packet of cigarettes to a person below the age of 18 on 22 September 2009 during one of HSA's routine surveillance. As this was the 2nd time the employee had committed an offence for selling tobacco products to an underage person, she was prosecuted and was fined in court. The outlet's licence was suspended for six months from 13 March 2010 to 12 September 2010.

4      M/s Hup Kim located at Blk 191, Lorong 4 Toa Payoh, #01-650 will have their licence suspended for six months from 1 April 2010 to 30 September 2010. The licensee was caught red-handed by HSA's plainclothes inspectors for selling a packet of cigarettes to a person below the age of 18 on 8 October 2009. Subsequently, he was prosecuted and was fined in court. This is the 2nd time that the licensee has been caught committing a similar offence. As this retail outlet has repeatedly committed the offence of selling tobacco products to underage persons, HSA has decided to suspend its licence for six months.

5      Details of the three offences are summarized as follows:

6      HSA reminds all tobacco retailers that they are responsible for all transactions of tobacco products carried out by their outlets as well as for the actions of their employees. It is an offence under the Smoking (Control of Advertisements and Sale of Tobacco) Act to sell tobacco products to persons below the age of 18. The offence is punishable with a maximum fine of up to $5,000 for the first conviction and up to $10,000 for the second or subsequent conviction. The tobacco retail licences are also liable for suspension or revocation should the licensees and/or their employees repeat the offence.

7      HSA takes a serious view on smoking by underage persons, and consequently, the illegal sale of tobacco products to such underage persons. We will continue to enforce this prohibition stringently so as to discourage and prevent the illegal sale of tobacco products to underage youths.

8      Members of the public can view the List of Suspended Tobacco Retailers here.

9      HSA also encourages members of the public who have information on the illegal sale of tobacco products to call the hotline of the Tobacco Regulation Unit at Tel: 62138930 or 62138931 during office hours.

HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY
SINGAPORE
1 APRIL 2010

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