02 Oct Not Yet 21? Sorry, No Cigarettes For You
To all liquor stores, convenience stores, gas stations, and markets – selling cigarettes to minors in Tennessee now means selling them to 20-year-olds. The new law in the state raises the minimum smoking age from 18 to 21, the same age a person has to be to have alcohol.
Tennessee is one of many states in the U.S. to increase its minimum smoking age, a move intended to deter teens from smoking. Everyone is pretty well-educated on the health risks associated with smoking (and even inhaling second-hand smoke) but this move is certainly the biggest change.
Now more than ever is it imperative for cashiers to request an ID when someone wishes to purchase cigarettes. Brushing off the ID request isn’t uncommon but it shouldn’t happen. Getting caught selling cigarettes to underage individuals carries punishments that include fines, jail time, and losing license to sell. These can lead to bigger issues down the line, like being set-back on bills and payments because you needed to pay fines first, or losing regular 21 and over customers who purchased groceries and cigarettes from you, but have moved to another store because you can no longer sell cigarettes.
Advise all employees the importance of requesting ID for selling cigarettes (and alcohol) to customers. If you or anyone you know is arrested for “looking the other way,” All American Bail Bonds Anderson County will be available to bail you or them out of jail. This is a cost to you, but we have the ability to make it as affordable as possible for you so that you are not left struggling so hard, financially.