Suffolk County Implements Teen Tobacco Use Prevention Law
According to a news release on November 1st from the Suffolk County Department of Health Services' Tobacco Enforcement Division, they will be enforcing the New York State Adolescent Tobacco Use Prevention Act (ATUPA). The act includes a list of businesses in Suffolk County that have been found to be in violation of selling e-cigarette products to individuals under 21 years of age.
According to ATUPA, the Suffolk government will be conducting compliance checks with enforcement officers from the health department to determine whether vendors are selling tobacco or e-cigarette products to minors. Vendors found to be in violation may face the possibility of having their tobacco sales registration and lottery license suspended for one year. Repeat offenders could face permanent revocation of their tobacco registration and lottery license.
The tobacco enforcement department in Suffolk County has reported conducting over 500 compliance checks on tobacco retailers in 2022. They have taken enforcement actions against violations regarding the sale of tobacco products to minors, resulting in fines totaling $92,984.
According to relevant New York state laws, the sale of flavored e-cigarette products has been deemed illegal starting from May 18, 2020. This includes all flavored e-cigarette products that have distinct tastes or aromas that can be differentiated from tobacco flavors, such as mint, menthol, "refreshing," "flavorless," honey, candy, dessert, and spices.
According to reports, only products categorized as "tobacco-flavored" are eligible for sale in New York. Flavoring products found in retail stores will be subjected to regulatory actions by inspectors.
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