Licenses suspended

In Singapore, the tobacco licenses of 10 retailers have been suspended for six months after they were caught selling cigarettes to customers under 18 years of age, according to a Channel NewsAsia story quoting a Health Sciences Authority (HSA) press note.
‘These 10 sellers did not ask for any identification to check the buyers’ age[s],’ the note said. ‘They had claimed that they were busy or that the minors looked older than they were.’
Under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, any business caught selling tobacco products to those under the age of 18 faces a fine of up to S$5,000 for the first offence and up to S$10,000 for the second or subsequent offences.
In addition, the business’ tobacco retail license will be suspended for six months for the first offence and revoked for a second offence. Retailers found selling tobacco products to minors in school uniform or to those below 12 years of age have their tobacco retail licenses revoked at the first offence.
From 2015 to date, 68 tobacco retail licenses have been suspended and 10 have been revoked, HSA said.