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Action on Smoking and Health
A National Legal-Action Antismoking Organization Entirely Supported by Tax-Deductible Contributions
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CA Attorney General Sues Safeway Stores Over Cigarette Sales to Minors [06/17-2]
Excerpts from: Calif. Sues Safeway Over Cigarette Sales
Daily News.com [06/16/04]
California Attorney General Bill Lockyer on Wednesday sued supermarket giant Safeway Inc. for allegedly selling cigarettes to minors and failing to take adequate steps to prevent further sales at its stores.
The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and seeks civil penalties that could total hundreds of thousands of dollars. The complaint asks the court to issue an injunction that would require the Safeway Inc. stores, which include Vons, Pavilions and Pak N' Save, to take actions to curb tobacco-related sales to minors.
In a statement, Pleasanton, Calif.-based Safeway said its "record of compliance regarding tobacco sales does not justify being singled out in this instance. We invest a great deal of time and resources to ensure our employees are well trained and understand how seriously we take our responsibility in this matter."
The lawsuit against Safeway alleges the grocery chain violated the state Penal Code's prohibition against selling cigarettes to people under 18 on numerous occasions.
The stores failed to check the identification of people who bought tobacco-related products who appeared underage and failed to post signs warning against underage sales, the lawsuit said.
It also alleges Safeway's stores in Los Angeles failed to display tobacco retail permits, as required by city ordinance.
Undercover inspections by state health officials showed that, through March 2004, Safeway stores sold tobacco products to minors in nearly 30 percent of the cases. In 2003, the violation rate was even higher, at 42.1 percent, state officials said.
An estimated 690 million packs of cigarettes are sold illegally to children each year nationwide, the lawsuit said
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