Businesses targeted in underage tobacco sales sting

FIVE shops in Bassetlaw were caught selling tobacco to underage kids during a test purchase operation across the county.

Trading Standards officers from Notts County Council worked with volunteers aged 15 to 17 on the operation at newsagents, grocers, petrol stations and small supermarkets in Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood, Broxtowe and Bassetlaw.

Of the 57 premises checked during week commencing 22nd August, sales were made to the young volunteers in nine.

Two further sales took place in Newark and Sherwood and two in Broxtowe. No sales to under-18s were made at the premises tested in Ashfield.

Owners at the nine shops will now be interviewed by officers and a decision will be taken on what, if any, action will be taken against them.

Shops can be fined up to £2,500 if found guilty of selling cigarettes to under-18s.

If a premises, person or company sells tobacco or cigarette papers to under 18s twice in two years, the county council can apply to ban sales for a period of up to a year.

Coun Mick Murphy, cabinet member for community safety, said it was ‘disappointing’ so many premises in the county have been willing to sell tobacco products to children without challenge, despite clear guidance to the contrary.

“Trading Standards work closely with local businesses who want to ensure that they do not sell tobacco to under-18s by giving advice on their legal responsibilities as well as tips on how to avoid selling all age-restricted products to young people.”

“But whilst we recognise that the majority of retailers are responsible, we will come down hard on those who flout the law,” he said.

Meanwhile, from 1st October, the law will change to make it illegal to sell tobacco products directly to the public from vending machines, regardless of age.

Under the change in law, businesses will still be allowed to have tobacco vending machines but they cannot be accessible to the public.

Cheap Cigarettes and the Price/Quality Ratio

Buying cheap discount cigarettes is no more a taboo following recent hikes in taxes hitting all that who smokes. Regardless of brand of cigarettes, it sure must have burnt a hole in your pocket, making everyone wish those tax free days were back. 

Online sale of cheap cigarettes at discount price has come to rescue smokers so much that despite selling at cheap prices the websites are still making profits in millions. The usual reservations about the freshness of cigarettes, privacy of your personal details have long been overwhelmed by the genuineness of crisp packs that are delivered to you. Adherence to privacy, tax and age related legalities by online cheap cigarette sellers in addition to secure transaction are what made them popular for buying cigarettes cheap. 

How Cheap Are Cheap Discount Cigarettes 
It may surprise you but buying cheap Marlboro cigarettes online can save you almost 1/3rd in most states. It isn’t just Marlboro that has become cheap online, buy any of your favorite brands, for that matter, such as Marlboro, Camel, Winston, Virginia slims, Salem, Kent, Barclay, Carlton etc you will save a huge sum if you are buying in bulk. If you were paying $40-45 per carton of Marlboro earlier, cheap discount cigarettes can be availed at $25 or less. Buying cheap cigarettes in bulk also has another benefit that you don’t run out of stock frequently which, otherwise, always occurs at unfortunate times. 

Cheap Cigarettes and the Price/Quality Ratio 
Let me begin by asking where do you get menthol tobacco cigarettes fresh and cheap; online or offline? Of course you may be satisfied with your neighboring store but think for a minute, all consumables stale over time on shelf. But what with low or no taxes (in certain Indian settlements) being levied on online cheap cigarettes shops, smokers tend to buy more in bulk than otherwise which saves them a mini fortune both ways. The constant movement of this kind of bulk stock emphasizes three critical points about quality: 
1. that buying discount cigarettes is really cheap 
2. stocks are more frequently replenished than in an offline shop 
3. higher the sales stronger is the smokers’ acceptance of quality 

So How to Contrast the Cheap Cigarettes against Those Bought From a Corner Shop As Regards to Price/Quality Ratio 
To begin with, let’s assume the qualities of cheap cigarettes purchased online are on par with cigarettes from a neighborhood retail store. But in the bargain, you will have paid less money per carton/stick bought online. The cheap cigarettes and the price/quality ratio’ comes under suspicion only if your consignment isn’t delivered in good shape or within the specified time. So, first thing you need to check is whether the packing is intact and whether moisture had entered inside. You can also check individual packs for manufacturing dates. 

Now that selling cheap cigarettes like Marlboro, Virginia slims, LM or Kent online is commonplace, the apprehension about its legality isn’t a deterring factor anymore. Given the issue of quality being settled down, the increased taxes are the things that matter most to a regular smoker, especially if he/she were living in states like New Jersey, Rhode Island, Washington, Michigan and Arizona where increase is over 200¢ per pack. The issue of quality is by far a foregone conclusion when online retailers are also buying from the very same tobacco manufacturers as do their offline counterparts. 

Once you are assured about quality, buying cheap cigarettes online wins over and what matters is the money you can save over long time.