Tobacco License Yanked

New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) Commis-sioner Gretchen Dykstra this week released a list of 128 "Dirty Dealers" that had their tobacco license revoked for six months through May 2004 for repeatedly selling to minors. Of the 128 revocations, 53 were in Brook-lyn, including Shopsmart Supermar-ket at 103-23 Glenwood Road (pictured above).

Retailers caught selling cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18 twice within two years are required to pay city and state fines.

"Selling cigarettes to kids is terrible for their health and dangerous to your business," said Commissioner Dykstra. "New York City has the best teen tobacco enforcement program in the country and the message is clear: If you sell to kids, it’ll cost you big fines and your license."

City fines are $1,000 for the first offense and $2,000 for the second, plus license revocation. State fines are a maximum of $1,000 for the first offense and $1,500 for each thereafter, plus possible license revocation.

Since the program formally began in 1998, compliance among City busi-nesses has increased by more than 30%. Prior to the start of the program, a DCA survey in 1993 showed 85% of businesses inspected sold to kids.

For more information or to file a complaint, call 311, or visit the DCA web site at www.nyc.gov/consumers.

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