94% Kentucky shops pass control on selling tobacco to children
Great happiness and joy shows Johnnie Woods, the Kentucky Health program administrator for the Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, as according to recent study, 94% of stores don’t sell tobacco products to children.
"I’m really happy (retailers) are complying at 94 percent," Johnnie Woods said.
It has been investigated 887 stores that were visited by children who asked for cigarettes. This kind of control is required annually by the federal government.
Though, Woods would be even happier if this percentage went higher. In comparison with 1999, when percentage was only 80.3, nowadays 94% is a great success.
Woods said that this success was mainly due to prohibition of vending machines and limiting of tobacco advertising. Stiff fines of 100$ for the first offence to sell tobacco to minors have also its impact.
Lori Cundiff, manager of Cox’s Smoker’s Outlet on Bardstown Road, said employers paid the fines at her store, because namely they should ask for customers’ ID.
Woods said that it would be much better if all stores respect the law, as many children begin to smoke being underage.
"People who smoke typically begin smoking in adolescence," Woods said. "If you can keep a person from smoking before 18, their chances of being a smoker are greatly reduced."
