Burned: License revoked after retailer sold cigarette to student in uniform

Ten other retailers face six-month suspension and fines for selling cigarettes to underage youth.

View the details of the 11 offences here.

According to the Health Sciences Authority, Tan Bee Hwa had sold a tobacco product to an obviously underage youth who was in a lower secondary school uniform (short-sleeve white shirt and short pants).

It is an offence under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act to sell tobacco products to persons below the age of 18. The offence is punishable with a maximum fine of up to $5,000 for the first conviction and up to $10,000 for the second or subsequent conviction. The tobacco retail licences are also liable for suspension or revocation.

All tobacco retailers had earlier been informed that with effect from 1 December 2010, enhanced administrative actions against errant tobacco retailers were revised as: 1st offence – six months suspension of tobacco retail licence, and 2nd offence – revocation of tobacco retail licence.

Tobacco retailers have also been advised that should any outlet be found to have sold tobacco products to obviously underage youth in school uniform or those below 12 years of age, the tobacco retail licence will be revoked, even for the 1st offence.