According to studies, easy access to tobacco products influences teenagers’ decisions to smoke. A recent and secret survey of Mono County and Mammoth Lakes businesses revealed that between 20% and 30% of the stores sold to teenaged decoys.

Nancy Mahannah of Mono Health said that the latest undercover survey revealed that the sales rate of tobacco to kids went up. There were no sales to teens in 2006 and 2007.

Health officials point out that the law forbids sales of tobacco to minors and requires that clerks ask for ID to confirm the age of the teen.

Periodic tobacco sale stings are cooperative efforts among Sheriff’s officers, police, the District Attorney’s offices and health departments of both of our counties.

The crackdown on kids and cigarettes developed through the theory that if teens don’t start smoking, they won’t have the habit as adults and all of the negative health impacts that go with smoking.

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