Woman tells just how easy it was to buy cigarettes as a minor

Arnia Appleby, 24, tells just how easy it was for her to buy smokes as a teen. Photo/ supplied

At 16, Arnia Appleby bought a couple of packs of cigarettes from an Auckland petrol station, went to a park with her best friend and smoked every one until they were sick.

Within a week she was hooked, smoking at least three a day.

An undercover operation by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) identified just how easy it was for an minor to purchase cigarettes.

Three out of 10 Mangere outlets approached by a minor in one day were busted selling cigarettes illegally, the operation showed.

Now 24, Appleby says buying smokes as a teen was all too easy.

"I would just walk in, no questions asked, the owners seemed to like young girls."

For her, it was a generational normality that had been passed down.

"My parents smoked. I smoked in front of them, everyone did it and it was cool."

Appleby said she wished she hadn't started and that she was made more aware of the impact it had.

"During the last six years, I spent the same amount of money on cigarettes as my $30,000 student loan. Smoking took away my financial freedom."

The three outlets caught selling cigarettes illegally were BP Connect on Massey Rd, Pacific Superette on Savill Drive and Fresh Vege Mart on Yates Rd in Mangere.

Dean Adam from ARPHS said each outlet caught was fined $500, the minimum because they were first-time offenders.

"We will be going back to make checks on those outlets as well. If you break the law you could be prosecuted. That's our message to retailers who are encouraging tobacco addiction in childhood," Adam said.

Retailers selling tobacco to minors can face criminal convictions and fines of up to $10,000 if prosecuted. A conviction means restrictions on employment, business and international travel.

Adam said there wasn't necessarily a gap in regulation but in terms of the people that adequately meet the expectations some stores were better than others.

"Stores that routinely check for identification as part of their business were better at meeting the requirements of the law, whereas stores that sell a mix of products tend to be a lot more variable.

He said legislation would be changed to address this issue.

"Some versions of R18 stores would be a preferable option in terms of A, reducing the availability and B, putting it into an environment that does routinely check it."

ARPHS regularly carries out stings using teenage volunteers to visit retailers to ensure that tobacco sales comply with the legislation.

By law, retailers should be requesting ID for individuals buying tobacco if they look under 25.

Adam said shops selling cigarettes to children make addiction easy.

"They help kids buy into a life-long nicotine habit - and children don't understand the consequences of that."

ARPHS has run more than 1000 undercover operations over the last five years.

"Our team is getting more effective at catching and prosecuting people. We also receive tip-offs from regular customers about their local store. It proves the community is taking a stand with us on this issue," Adam said.

He said it was disappointing to see such a high number of breaches within a few hours of going undercover.

"Retailers are putting their own personal profit ahead of young people's health. The Mangere Otahuhu area has the lowest life expectancy and one of the highest rates of smoking of any local board."

YOUTH SMOKING SNAPSHOT:

• 12.4 per cent of year 10 students believed they could buy cigarettes from a shop. (Youth Insights Survey, 2014)
• The average age people start smoking is 14.8. (NZ Health Survey: Tobacco Use 2016/2017)
• 3.2 per cent of 15-17-year-olds smoke daily (NZ Health Survey: 2016/2017)