14 L.A. businesses punished for selling tobacco to minors
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More than a dozen Los Angeles-area businesses were suspended Tuesday from selling tobacco products for a month after investigators found they had sold to minors, the city attorney’s office announced.
“Selling cigarettes to our kids is not only harmful, it is illegal,” City Atty. Mike Feuer said in a statement. “My office is committed to systematically and effectively curtailing tobacco sales to minors.”
In all, 14 retailers were given 30-day suspensions from displaying, selling or offering to sell tobacco products. The businesses had sold to minors twice in the last five years, city officials said.
The business locations were spread across the city, from Boyle Heights in the east to the San Fernando Valley and South L.A. Each business was within a half-mile of a school.
The city attorney’s office posted a complete list on its website.
The crackdown is part of a larger push by Feuer’s office against illegal tobacco sales in the city. His office announced the city will also perform 700 compliance checks annually, a 50% increase, and publicly list repeat offenders.
City officials are also launching an education program at four middle schools, officials said.
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