Tobacco sellers staying alert to underage buyers

Despite a reduction in the frequency of the number of inspections, tobacco sellers on P.E.I. continue to do a good job checking ID before making a sale, says the province's senior environmental health officer.

Inspectors used to go out at least twice a year, hiring young test shoppers to attempt to buy cigarettes. Two years ago those enforcement checks were reduced to one a year, because of staff cutbacks.

At the time, there was concern that fewer inspections might lead some retailers to become less vigilant. Senior environmental health officer Ryan Neale said that does not appear to be the case.

"This year in 2015, between February and April, we visited 144 retailers. There were three sales to our test shoppers during that time," said Neale.

"That comes out to a 98 per cent compliance rate, so we're really happy that 98 per cent of retailers did not sell tobacco to our test shoppers."

Neale credits the compliance rate to the department's extensive education program for retailers. The Crown is now looking at whether to lay charges on the three stores that were caught during the checks, If convicted, retailers could face fines ranging from $200 to $2,000.

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