0 out of 22 Tobacco Licensees sell Cigarettes to Minors 

March 2, 2004

Yakima County - Liquor Control Board enforcement agents conducted 22 tobacco compliance checks on Saturday, February 28, in Yakima County.  During the compliance checks a 15 or 16 year old will enter either a restaurant or a grocery store to attempt to buy cigarettes.  Of the 22 compliance checks none of the businesses checked sold cigarettes to a minor.

The Liquor Control Board commends the following businesses for passing Saturday’s compliance checks:

• Suntides Market 11 Pence Rd. Yakima
• Clark’s Empire Foods 3361 Mapleway Rd. Yakima
• Mt. Cleman Chevron 9881 Hwy. 12 Naches
• Slims Market 9951 Hwy. 12 Naches
• Sun Mart # 21 10171 Hwy. 12 Naches
• Many’s Chinook Center 10450 Hwy. 12 Naches
• Fred’s Food Center 16850 Summitview Rd. Cowiche
• Fred Meyer #486 1206 N. 40th Ave. Yakima
• Bi-Mart 1207 N. 40th Ave. Yakima
• Central Washington Fair Sportsman Show 1301 S. Fair Ave. Yakima
• Yakima Food Pavilion 120 N. Fair Ave. Yakima
• 3rd St. Market 616 S. 3rd St. Yakima
• Nicks Mini Mart 502 S. 2nd St.
• Smittys Conoco #190 301 N. 1st St. Yakima
• La Bodega YakaMex 511 N 1st St. Ste#124 Yakima
• Wal-Mart 1600 E. Chestnut Yakima
• Elite Express 2501 Terrace Heights Dr. Yakima
• Maid O’ Clover South 2412 Terrace Heights Dr. Yakima
• 7-Eleven 3908 Terrace Heights Dr. Yakima
• East Valley Market 7208 Postma Rd. Yakima
• Moxee Empire Foods 105 S. Iler St. Moxee
• Big K-Mart 2304 E. Nob Hill Blvd. Yakima

Clerks who sell tobacco to a minor receive a $50 fine for a first time offense.  Licensees receive a penalty based on the following guidelines: 

• First offense $100 dollar fine
  
• Second offense $300 dollar fine
  
• Third offense $1,000 dollar fine with a six-month license suspension and
  
• Fourth offense is a $1,500 dollar fine with a 12-month license suspension

For more information, please contact Tricia Currier.