PALMDALE – A tobacco compliance sweep last month led by Palmdale’s Neighborhood Services Department resulted in five administrative citations issued for violations of sales of tobacco products within the city.
Funded by a $435,000 tobacco law enforcement grant, the inspections were made by city staff and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Palmdale station deputies. Six retail tobacco locations were visited and citations were issued to five of the vendors for violations of single cigarette sales, expired business license, expired tobacco permit, failure to post required “We ID Under 27 for Tobacco Sales” signs, unauthorized sale of drug paraphernalia, and failure to verify required tobacco training.
“The city Palmdale is committed to conducting inspections at all 80 licensed retailers during the course of the program and will provide undercover or other types of enforcement operations for at least 75 percent of the licensed tobacco retailers,” stated Community Compliance Supervisor Sara Shreves. “These operations will be chosen at random, unless there is credible information about specific retailers not following state and local ordinances. The city’s main objective is complete conformity to state and local ordinances and to prevent the illegal sale of tobacco products especially to our youth.”
Palmdale’s Neighborhood Services Department will be overseeing the compliance program, which includes coordination between city staff, LASD, and local school districts.
For more information, call 661-267-5181.
[Information via news release from the city of Palmdale.]
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Les says
It doesn’t matter if they make more or less money on singles, it’s been around forever etc……. When they get their permit to sell tobacco they agree to follow certain laws and restrictions. If they can’t abide by that then they should not be in business.
justsayn says
@Some Guy says, I could be your ex GF! I am smoking THIS right now and yes, they are from Korea. THIS… is what it has come to until I can quit. At least i’m willing to go to a less expensive brand rather than stick with the more expensive one’s. and, THIS satisfies me…………..justsayn!
Alexis says
Buying and selling “loosies” has been going on for a very long time; from homes, and on the street, if you want one you get one, or two, or four. The black market makes up for what can’t be sold legally.
Crackdown says
“Six retail tobacco locations were visited and citations were issued to five of the vendors for violations of single cigarette sales, expired business license, expired tobacco permit, failure to post…”
If these proprietors cannot follow basic rules, then they need to be shut.
Alby says
What’s the big deal of single cigarrette sales? There’s alot of worse things in this town that should be investigated more than liquor stores selling single cigarettes. Way to use tax dollars effectively.
Random Stranger says
Tax avoidance is the motivation for selling single cigarettes. Way to skip out on paying taxes.
Tim Scott says
Are you sure about that? As a tobacco retailer they are required to account for every pack they buy wholesale in terms of the tax they collect when they sell it at retail. If they break open a pack and sell singles they are still accountable for the tax they would be required to collect on selling the pack. Selling singles is just far more profitable, even with the tax having to be paid as if it were collected from the end user.
I believe the rule against selling singles from an open pack has more to do with sanitation than anything else. Workers in a store aren’t regulated like restaurant workers. They are constantly handling stuff, including money which is among the most germ laden things you encounter in a day. Having them pull something out of the packaging so you can buy it and stick it in your mouth is gross.
Some Guy says
Also a single cig has no warning label on it and thats against the rules. My ex GF smokes a new brand called THIS… I made fun of her and said “So THIS is what your smoking now? Has it really come down to THIS? I hear they are from Korea.
Alexis says
Selling “loosies” has been around for a very long time. They’re sold out of homes, and on the street. So they can issue citations, and eat up the grant money, and “loosie’ sales will continue for a very long time, because there is a market for this.
Alby says
They don’t make that much more money off of singles. Not everyone wants to buy a whole pack of cigarrettes to smoke up in one night. Some people prefer to take it easy on a Friday night with a tall can and a couple smokes.