HOWELL – Police made undercover visits to tobacco and vape retailers, amounting to 21 violations for selling to underage customers or selling flavored vapes.
Officials said 15 violations were first time summonses and six of them were second violations. They amounted to $24,000 in potential fines. The violations included:
- illegal underage nicotine product sales: 12 (4 are 2nd offenses)
- illegal flavored vape sales: 6 (2 are 2nd offenses)
- electronic smoking device retail license non-compliance: 3 (1 is a 2nd offense)
The stings took place on June 24 and July 31 at convenience stores, gas stations, and smoke/vape shops. Several of them had been issued warning letters and summonses by code enforcement officer John Aguiar prior to the sting, police said.
Most underage sales violations involved flavored, disposable vapes or Zyn nicotine pouches, officials said. In some cases, the illegal flavored vapes were not able to be seen or picked up by customers.
“This collaborative effort involving the various departments of Howell Township, to include the support of the governing body, clearly displays our steadfast commitment to providing a safe and nurturing environment for our youth,” said Captain Tom Rizzo, who oversaw the undercover operations with Detective Vincent Bonner. “Any industry or participants in activities which serve to create profit for themselves while knowingly violating statutes, laws, ordinances, etc., at the cost of negatively impacting our Township and those we protect/serve, can expect to be met with this same approach. We stand united in utilizing all of our resources on where it matters most: the preservation of our proud community.”
Vapes that are marketed to youth have caused an epidemic in America, despite the legal age to buy tobacco products being 21.
Howell Township passed an ordinance tightening up the laws regarding tobacco products. There was a meeting in March to explain it to retailers. Ordinance fines are $1,000 for the 1st offense; $1,500 for the 2nd offense; and $2,000 for the 3rd and subsequent offenses, with the provision for additional action for repeatedly failing to comply.
Howell Alliance Coordinator Christa Riddle said she conducted 37 initial site visits after the ordinance was adopted, then made subsequent visits with code enforcement and police officers to educate retailers about the ordinance prior to summonses being issued.
