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Are You Prepared for Tobacco Sales Legislation?
 If
your business sells tobacco products
(including vending machines and cigarette
papers), then you must be prepared for the
change in the minimum age for buying these
products.
From 1st October 2007, the
minimum age for buying tobacco products will
go up to 18 (from 16); and failure to follow
the law could get your business into
trouble.
In order to comply with the law, you must
replace all warnings signs with the updated
age. The signs include the common signs for
retailers (“It is illegal to sell tobacco
products to anyone under the age of 18”),
and on vending machines (“This machine is
only for the use of people aged 18 and
over”).
If young people try to buy tobacco products
or use vending machines, you need to ask
them for proof of their age. Usually
acceptable forms of ID are photo driving
licences, passports, and PASS proof of age
cards.
You need to act now to make sure that your
employees are fully aware of the change in
the law, and know what to do if they are
uncertain about a customer’s age. If an
employee sells tobacco products to under
18’s both they and your business could find
yourselves in trouble with the law; current
fines are up to £2500, and this may go up
when the new law comes into force.
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