1 cited for tobacco sale to minor

Last Friday, the Benicia Police Department’s Investigations Unit performed a minor decoy tobacco sales operation at various Benicia businesses that sell tobacco products. Of the 14 businesses, a clerk at one of them was charged with selling tobacco products to a minor.

As a part of the sting, a male minor decoy entered the 14 establishments and attempted to buy tobacco products. Most of the places asked the boy for his identification and, upon learning his age, refused to sell him the products. However, there was one exception.

A 32-year-old clerk at the Chevron station on Columbus Parkway was cited for selling the minor a pack of cigarettes without asking for identification, police said.

The Benicia Police Department conducts tobacco and alcohol compliance checks up to five times a year, and funding is provided through a grant from the Solano County Board of Supervisors’ Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs program. Some years have had all businesses comply, but others have had as many as five stops fail to ask for identification. According to the California Department of Public Health, although California has laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco to minors, the noncompliance percentage was 7.6 in 2015.

“The goal of the program is zero sales, zero citations and tobacco free and healthier youth,” BPD Lt. Damiean Sylvester said in a statement. “Total compliance with both tobacco and alcohol sales laws is the department’s mission.”

The department commended 13 businesses for refusing to sell tobacco to a minor: Rose Market on Columbus Parkway, the Valero gas station on East Second Street, Liquor Warehouse on Military East, Discount Cigarettes on Southampton Road, SuperStop on Southampton Road, Bob’s Food & Liquor on West J Street, the Chevron station in Solano Square, the Safeway in Solano Square, the Texaco station on Goodyear Road, Fast & Easy on East 5th Street, 7-Eleven on Military East, Rite Aid in Solano Square and Cigarettes for Less on Military East.

Sharing is caring!