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Media Release
19 February 2009
Yarra tobacco retailers under the microscope
Yarra City Council is cracking down on local tobacco retailers who sell cigarettes to minors, with recent action resulting in a higher compliance rate.
Under a statewide test purchase program which is co-ordinated by the Department of Human Services in partnership with local councils, teenagers (typically aged 15-16 years old) are employed to attempt to purchase cigarettes from local tobacco retailers.
Mayor Cr Amanda Stone said Council had been horrified by the results of a test in September 2008 when 13 of the 21 Yarra premises visited by a tester agreed to sell them cigarettes.
“We were appalled that 62% of the local tobacco retailers surveyed sold cigarettes to a person aged under 18,” Cr Stone said.
Council fined each offending retailer $227, and sent all 198 tobacco retailers in the municipality letters reminding them of their responsibilities to ensure each staff member complied with the Tobacco Act.
“When we tested tobacco retailers again last month, the rate of non-compliance fell to 31%, but that is still not good enough,” Cr Stone said.
“We are going to increase the frequency of our testing of local retailers and keep putting the pressure on them so that we get the non-compliance rate down to zero.”
Cr Stone said if tobacco retailers re-offend, Council would prosecute them in the Magistrates’ Court where they would be subject to fines of up to $5,700.
“There is no room for tolerance on this matter – we need no more evidence of the life threatening diseases caused by cigarette smoking and of the magnified impact that smoking has on the health of young people,” Cr Stone said.
“There is not only a legal, but also a moral obligation on tobacco retailers,” she said.”
"While smoking rates among the general population are on a downward spiral, the rate of smoking amongst teenagers continues to increase.
“Our young people are too precious to have their lungs put at risk because retailers act illegally.”
Cr Stone encouraged Yarra residents who had concerns that a local retailer had sold cigarettes to a person aged under 18 to contact Council’s Public Health Unit on 9205 5166.
Further information
For media enquiries about this issue, please contact:
Ainslie Gowan
Coordinator Communications and Public Relations
Richmond Town Hall
333 Bridge Road Richmond
Telephone 9205 5177, 0400 933 700
Email ainslie.gowan@yarracity.vic.gov.au
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