LAKE COUNTY — Sales of tobacco to minors are up, according to a report to the Lake County Board of Supervisors Tuesday by Michael Rupe, project director of the Lake County Tobacco Control Program.
The program had 16- and 17-year-old volunteers enter 59 tobacco retailers countywide, and found that 11 sold tobacco to minors, according to Rupe. He said that equates to a 23 percent sales rate, more than double the state average. The annual survey found the sales rate was 8 percent in 2007. Rupe said the agency”s goal was to get sales down to 5 percent in 2007.
“There is no enforcement in Lake County at this time; we are not an enforcement agency,” Rupe said.
Supervisors Jeff Smith, Rob Brown and Ed Robey expressed concern about how sales to minors can be prevented.
“To me, it”s unacceptable if we even have 5 percent. If it”s illegal, it”s illegal,” Smith said.
“It does no good to have this program in place if we do not act on it,” Brown said.
Supervisor Denise Rushing said she saw merit in the program because of its educational value. Rushing and Brow suggested publishing the names of the stores found selling tobacco to minors.
“I would love to do that,” Rupe said.
Program manager Kathleen Sheckells said Wednesday that a policy was previously in place that prevented the stores” names from being released, but that the agency was working on a press release listing those names.
Rupe told the board Tuesday that when a store is found selling tobacco to minors, the agency writes the proprietor a letter informing them that they are breaking state law. He said he works with storeowners and clerks to help them understand the law and how to identify underage clients attempting to buy tobacco.
“One objective this year is to approach the three jurisdictions in Lake County about adopting local retailer license requirements that would require a fee substantial enough to conduct two compliance checks per year and to cover the cost,” Rupe said.
No tobacco sales to minors were reported in Lakeport in 2008, and the sales rate to minors in Clearlake was 21 percent, according to Rupe. Smokeless tobacco products accounted for more than half of the tobacco sales to minors in 2008, according to Rupe.
“They (teens) know how to get it, they can do it at school and not get caught, they can carry it around in their jacket in a little bottle and spit the residual juice out inconspicuously, where smoking a cigarette is very obvious and illegal on school campuses,” Rupe said.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
