Yesterday I had a 13 year old ask for cigarettes. On my asking him for ID, he came out with the two most common excuses:
"I've bought them here before" (that doesn't matter, you're not buying from me without proof you're of age. Does that ever work anyway?)
"They're for my sister" (doesn't matter, the law specifically states "It is an offense to supply tobacco products to persons under the age of 18 years, even if they're for somebody else". Another part of the law states that retailers must have that section printed out and displayed near the cigarettes.)
So he goes away, sans smokes, and sends in his sister. 19 years old (I checked her ID too) and visibly pregnant. We can't refuse to sell tobacco to pregnant women so I had to sell to her.
I could see the train of "thought" there...
"Smoking while pregnant is supposed to harm your baby. I'm one of the 30% of female smokers who are too dumb to believe that, but I want everyone to think I'm smart so I'll risk somebody's job by getting my underage brother to buy them for me."
edit: Or maybe it's more "Smoking when pregnant doesn't hurt your baby. My daddy smoked when he was pregnant and I'm fine."
"I've bought them here before" (that doesn't matter, you're not buying from me without proof you're of age. Does that ever work anyway?)
"They're for my sister" (doesn't matter, the law specifically states "It is an offense to supply tobacco products to persons under the age of 18 years, even if they're for somebody else". Another part of the law states that retailers must have that section printed out and displayed near the cigarettes.)
So he goes away, sans smokes, and sends in his sister. 19 years old (I checked her ID too) and visibly pregnant. We can't refuse to sell tobacco to pregnant women so I had to sell to her.
I could see the train of "thought" there...
"Smoking while pregnant is supposed to harm your baby. I'm one of the 30% of female smokers who are too dumb to believe that, but I want everyone to think I'm smart so I'll risk somebody's job by getting my underage brother to buy them for me."
edit: Or maybe it's more "Smoking when pregnant doesn't hurt your baby. My daddy smoked when he was pregnant and I'm fine."
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