FDA Begins Issuing Complaints, Assessing Fines up to $5,000 on Retailers
The FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products has begun issuing “Civil Money Penalty Complaints” which are used to begin the agency’s legal action against a retailer for alleged violations of the federal tobacco regulations and can result in the assessment of a fine. The FDA’s website lists 20 retailers that have been sent Civil Money [Full Story]
New Bedford, Mass., Board of Health Repeals Cigar Sales Restrictions
According to Nicholas Charest of the New Bedford, Massachusetts Tobacco Control Office, the New Bedford Board of Health met on January 19, 2012 and removed the section of a tobacco regulatory ordinance that limited the package sizes in which local retailers could sell cigars. The ordinance provision, which was adopted in November, 2011, would have prohibited the [Full Story]
NATO Requests FDA to Include Inspection Times in Letters
At the suggestion of NATO retail member Discount Smoke Shops, NATO has sent a letter to the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products recommending that the agency’s retail Warning Letters and future Violation Letters include the time of day that an FDA compliance inspection occurs (a copy of NATO’s letter accompanies this bulletin). Currently, a Warning [Full Story]
Providence, RI, Ordinances Ban Flavored Tobacco Products and Coupons, Discounts and Promotional Multipacks
On January 5, 2012, the Providence, Rhode Island city council passed two ordinances that ban most flavored tobacco products and prohibit the redemption of tobacco product coupons and the sale of multi-packs of tobacco products with discounted prices. Providence Mayor Angel Taveras signed the two ordinances into law on January 9, 2012 and both ordinances [Full Story]
Philadelphia Health Board Postpones Further Action on Graphic Signs
Last August, the Philadelphia Board of Health proposed an ordinance that would require a graphic image sign depicting the health consequences of cigarette smoking to be placed next to each cash register in stores that sell tobacco products. This ordinance was proposed as a result of a $10.4 million grant that the Philadelphia Department of [Full Story]
Retailers Organize to Respond to New Bedford, MA Ordinance Restricting Cigar Sales
In November of 2011, the New Bedford, Massachusetts Board of Health adopted an ordinance to ban the sale of single cigars with a wholesale price of $2.00 or less per cigar or a retail price of $2.50 or less per cigar, require that cigars be sold in packages of five or more, and prohibit stores [Full Story]
