Sting finds no shops selling tobacco to minors

A recent sting on 40 Northland shops found none willing to sell tobacco to minors, a result that delighted health officials.

Northland health officials hopes a recent sting that found no retailers selling tobacco to minors is a sing the message is getting through.

Northland District Health Board public health staff ran two Controlled Purchase Operations (CPOs) at tobacco retailers last week in an effort to find if any would sell to minors.

And they were delighted that none of the 40 outlets targeted in the sting would sell to the youngsters used in the CPOs.

The CPOs saw underage volunteers aged 15 and 17 try to buy tobacco product from retailers throughout the Hokianga-Mid North and greater Whangarei areas.

Both CPOs returned no sales from the 40 retailer outlets tested by the smoke-free enforcement staff.Wendy Antrobus, NDHB

Smoke-free Enforcement Officer said this was the first large scale CPO that came back with no sales to minors.

"This is an excellent result and the first operation of this size to be carried out resulting in no sales. The retailers tested had very good systems in place and asked for identification on every occasion, which is very encouraging," Mrs Antrobus said.

"It demonstrates that our tobacco retailers are responsible sellers of tobacco product and protecting the young people of the communities they operate in".

She said retailers are urged to always assess the age of young people asking to buy tobacco products by insisting on a form of photo identification from anyone who looks under the age of 25.

"No photo identification, no sale. It is a very simple way for retailers to maintain their compliance with the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990." Mrs Antrobus said.

She said CPOs will continue to be conducted randomly during the year, as required by the Ministry of Health, whereby children aged well below the legal age of 18 are used to approach retailers to purchase tobacco products under controlled conditions.

During the CPO 20 tobacco retailers visited in Omapere, Opononi, Rawene, Kaikohe, Ohaeawai, Moerewa and Kawakawa and another 20 in Hikurangi, Whangarei and Bream Bay.