Scores of Alexandria City High School students are descending on local businesses that sell tobacco today (April 1) with big red stickers.
Today is Take Down Tobacco Day, a national effort from law enforcement, city leaders, and students to educate the public against serving minors tobacco products.
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins said that the effort to reduce tobacco use is important.
“Today is about raising awareness about the impact of tobacco use here in our city, on young people,” Gaskins said.
ACHS sophomore Auybri Thomas will be posting stickers and talking to business owners about not selling to minors.
“I feel like we’re doing a good thing and that we’re making an impact,” Thomas said.
The penalty for selling or gifting tobacco products to minors is as follows:
If an individual under the age of 21 is found in violation of the law a civil penalty not to exceed $100 for the first violation, not to exceed $250 for a second and subsequent violation will be issued. A court may, as an alternative to the civil penalty, require up to 20 hours of community service for the first violation and up to 40 hours community service for a second and subsequent violation.
The businesses that will carry the stickers include:
- The Glass Stache (222 N. Lee Street)
- Scottish Merchant and John Crouch Tobacconist (215 King Street)
- Old Virginia Tobacco Co. (210 King Street)
- Harris Teeter (735 N. St. Asaph Street)
- Safeway (500 S. Royal Street)
- Shell (801 N. Washington Street)
- Old Town Auto Care (834 N. Washington Street)
- Community Market (1006 Madison Street)
- 7-Eleven (800 Franklin Street)
- Giant Foods (621 E. Glebne Road)
- Shell (442 N. Henry Street)
