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Excerpts from: Texas Sues E-Tailer For Illegal Tobacco Sales
 

 By Martin Stone, Newsbytes Texas Sues E-Tailer For Illegal Tobacco Sales  [12/28/00]

 
                 Online tobacco merchant E-Commerce Today Ltd.
                 reportedly faces a lawsuit lodged by Texas Attorney
                 General John Cornyn, who alleges the e-tailer failed
                 to take precautions against tobacco sales to minors in Texas.

                 Texas, which makes it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under 18,
                 has requested an injunction against the Virginia-based company
                 under the state's Deceptive Trade Practices and Consumer
                 Protection Act, according to a report by United Press International,
                 which cited Cornyn as saying online vendors "should play by the
                 same rules as bricks-and-mortar retailers in verifying ages of
                 buyers."

                 The lawsuit alleges that E-Commerce Today incorrectly claimed it
                 operates a system to prevent sales of tobacco to minors, failed to
                 verify that online purchasers were at least 18, and allowed the
                 delivery of tobacco products without ensuring that an adult signed
                 for the purchase. State officials contend investigators entered age
                 dates that would show they were under 18 but were still able to
                 purchase tobacco, UPI said.