NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) - The Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office is back to making sure area businesses are following age restrictions when it comes to selling tobacco products.
Detective Sgt. Phil Valdez says they recently sent undercover teens in to attempt to purchase vaping products at 11 tobacco shops and convenience stores in the New Philadelphia, Uhrichsville and Newcomerstown areas. He says three of those 11 locations ended up selling to them.
“I think 3 out of 11 is still kind of low for our area, and that’s probably the most that we’ve had honestly,” he says. “The last three years that we’ve done it, we’ve had one or two stores maybe out of 10.”
Valdez says those three clerks were cited but it’s up to the judges whether to fine them. He says some of those stores will also fire any employee who sells to a minor.
“It’s unfortunate but we want our communities to be strict and we want to start with the kids and education and make sure they’re not selling tobacco to underage kids,” he says.
Valdez says the clerks also realize they messed up when caught …
“Most of them aren’t very happy. A lot of stores have policies that you have to card, and if it is a juvenile, you’re not permitted to sell to them,” he says. “Even if they look under 40 years old you have to card them.”
Valdez says this operation was funded through a grant with the cooperation of the Tuscarawas County Health Department and the local anti-drug coalition.
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