Four of 17 tobacco licensees sell cigarettes to minors

During the compliance checks a 15 or 16 year old enters a restaurant or grocery store and attempts to buy cigarettes.  The following four businesses checked that day sold tobacco to an underage customer:

• Elma Grocery & Gas & Car Wash, 1156 Monte-Elma Road, Elma
• Los Amigos II, 322 W Main St., Elma
• Lucky Eagle Casino, 12888 188^th SW, Rochester
• Porter General Store & Deli, 5673 State Route 12, Elma

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.

The Liquor Control Board commends the following 13 businesses for refusing to sell tobacco to an underage customer:

• Bailey’s IGA, 10333 State Route 12, Rochester

• Brady Food Mart, 595 Monte-Elma Road, Montesano

• C & S Grocery, 112 W Main St., Elma

• Del Cris Grocery, 609 E Main St., Elma

• Elma Exxon, 306 S Third St., Elma

• Elma Texaco, 305 S Third St., Elma
• Gateway Exxon/Astro, 740 E Main St., Elma

• Harry’s Grocery, 312 Pine St., Oakville

• Larry’s Chevron, 9525 SW Highway 12, Rochester

• Red’s Hop N Market, 5397 State Route 12 S, Malone

• Restover Food Mart,  2725 93^rd Ave. SW, Olympia

• Scott Lake Grocery, 11315 Scott Creek Drive SW, Olympia

• Villa Grove, 9200 Littlerock Road SW, Olympia

Note to Editor: Members of the public who have concerns or complaints regarding tobacco sales to minors can contact the Liquor Control Board’s toll free tip line at 1-888-838-3956.

For more information, please contact Sharon Michael.