Three stores were cited last week during Halloween by the county sheriff’s office for selling tobacco products to a minor.
The sheriff’s office says they conducted a minor decoy operation during Halloween week, in partnership with the county’s tobacco control program. A minor decoy under 21 years old attempted to purchase tobacco products under the direct supervision of sheriff deputies.
The operation was conducted at 45 different retail outlets throughout the county, and the sheriff’s office says three retail locations sold products to the minor.
Retail clerks who sell tobacco to a minor face misdemeanor charges and fines ranging from $200 to $1000; business owners may also be cited for a county code violation. SLO county health educator, Maria Bautista also said: “Locally, 61% of 11th graders report that it is easy or fairly easy to obtain vapes, according to the 2023 – 24 California healthy kids survey.”
