THREE local business owners have been fined after they were caught selling cigarettes to children.
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A Cronulla business owner was fined $1000, a Sylvania Waters shop assistant $500 and a Caringbah shop assistant $350 in an undercover investigation by the South Eastern Sydney Public Health Unit.
Director of planning and population at South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Julie Dixon said the fines should act as a deterrent.
"This is a warning to all tobacco retail outlets: if you sell tobacco products to children you are breaking the law and you can expect to be prosecuted," she said.
"Despite long efforts to educate and remind retailers of the penalties they could face if caught selling cigarettes to children, it is worrying that young people are still able to buy these products from some shops.
"NSW Health has a compliance monitoring strategy in which volunteer young people attempt to buy cigarettes from local retailers.
"It was this approach that led to these businesses being caught out; 35 shops were randomly targeted during our recent blitz of tobacco retailers, and three did not comply.
"These laws have been in place for a long time. Retailers might think it is good for business but it is not good for our young people."
Under the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008, it is a criminal offence to sell cigarettes to people under the age of 18.
The maximum fine is $11,000 for individuals for a first offence and $55,000 for a corporation.
Should there be bigger fines for selling cigarettes to children?
