Tobacco-Selling Stores Put To The Test In Southington

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Stores visited in a recent tobacco compliance check detail in Southington made the grade, police said Wednesday.

Tuesday's operation was conducted by the the Southington Police Department, in conjunction with the STEPS Coalition and was designed to check for underage sales of tobacco products.

"With the recent changes in the tobacco/nicotine purchasing age from 18 years of age to 21 years of age, the STEPS Coalition and the Southington Police Department have spent time educating merchants of the changes in the law, which was followed by the compliance check," police said.

During the first wave of the compliance checks, all five locations passed without any issues.

The stores were:

• Silver City Vapors, 1049 Queen St.
• Gasman, 570 Main St.
• Sunoco, 398 Main St.
• Metro, 662 West St.
• Mobil, 301 Queen St.

Police said the compliance check was funded by a state grant via the STEPS Coalition.

The Southington Police Department and the STEPS Coalition will continue their merchant education program and compliance checks, authorities said.

A law raising the age to legally purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 took effect on Oct. 1, 2019.

Gov. Ned Lamont estimated that the state would lose about $6.3 million in annual tax revenue due to the implementation of the law, but he added "the health of young people needs to take priority."

"Many decades ago when most of our laws surrounding tobacco products were written, the medical evidence on the impact the substance has, particularly on young people and the ongoing development of their brains, did not exist," Lamont said just before the law took effect. "Continuing the enforcement of outdated laws just because that's the way it's always been is not a good enough reason for why they should continue to reflect outdated perceptions. With the rising use of e-cigarettes and vaping products among young people, we are seeing a growing public health crisis and it's time that we addressed it."