By COLIN M. STEWART
Tribune-Herald staff writer
Cigarette sales to minors in Hawaii are at their lowest level ever, according to a report issued Monday.
The survey of cigarette sales to customers under the age of 18 has been conducted annually by the Hawaii Department of Health since 1996. This year, the survey found that 4.3 percent of retailers in the state sold tobacco products to underage, undercover consumers. Last year’s rate was 6.1 percent.
Hawaii Island had the highest rate of violations in the state, with 8.1 percent percent of the stores selling to minors. That marked a significant decrease, however, from last year’s total of 11.9 percent.
A total of 37 stores were surveyed on the Big Island — 21 in East Hawaii and 16 in West Hawaii. Three of the stores sold cigarettes to minors. Kauai and Maui had no stores fail the inspection, with six failing in Honolulu.
The Department of Health conducted the survey in March. Health workers partner with the University of Hawaii to enroll the help of volunteers between the ages of 15 and 17. They are trained and then sent to a random sampling of stores to attempt to purchase cigarettes, said spokeswoman Lezlie Aano.
She added that the stores which violated the law were not given citations during the survey. However, similar inspections are done throughout the year, in partnership with county police departments. Merchants convicted of selling to minors face a mandatory fine of $500.
Most recently, two East Hawaii stores and two West Hawaii retailers failed compliance checks performed in June. The East Hawaii locations that failed were the J. Hara Store in Kurtistown, and Longs Drugs on Kilauea Avenue in Hilo. In West Hawaii, Island Gourmet Markets and Waikoloa Beach Shell Station, both on Waikoloa Beach Drive, failed their inspections. A total of 36 East Hawaii and 25 West Hawaii locations passed the inspection.
The Department of Health pointed to the study as proof that it has been successful in its efforts to curb teen smoking.
“The declining rate for illegal tobacco sales to minors shows the department’s efforts to educate store owners and retail clerks are working,” said Health Director Loretta Fuddy. “However, now more than ever, weith an increasing variety of tobacco products becoming available, we need to continue to be vigilant about protecting our youth.”
The survey helps to monitor the state’s compliance with regulations regarding the federal Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. To continue to qualify for block grant funds, every state must enact and enforce laws that prohibit the sale or distribution of tobacco products to youths under the age of 18. States are also required to annually conduct random, unannounced inspections and document a rate of tobacco sales to minors of no more than 20 percent.
The first year of the inspections in Hawaii, 44.5 percent of the stores surveyed sold cigarettes to minors. The following year, that number dropped to 23 percent. The rate has steadily declined since then.
The Department of Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Education program offers a number of tools and training packets to assist retailers on its website: http://hawaii.gov/health/healthy-lifestyles/tobacco/index.html.
Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
———
TOBACCO COMPLIANCE CHECKS 6/1/2012 - 6/30/2012
East Hawaii
FAILED inspection (2)
• J. HARA STORE INC
17-343 Kurtistown Govt Rd Kurtistown 96760
• LONGS DRUG STORES #9620
555 Kilauea Ave Hilo 96720
————-
PASSED inspection (36)
• 7-ELEVEN #54
15-2875 Government Beach Rd Pahoa 96778
• BAYSIDE CHEVRON
774 Kamehameha Ave Hilo 96720
• CHIKA NAKANO REPAIR SHOP INC
90 Pookela St Hilo 96720
• COST-U-LESS
715 Kinoole St Hilo 96720
• DA STORE - HAWAIIAN BEACHES
15-783 Kahakai Blvd Pahoa 96778
• FAST FUELS
16-499 Old Volcano Rd Keaau 96749
• GINGER PATCH MARKET & DELI
26 Kekela St Hilo 96720
• HIRANO STORE
18-2455 Volcano Highway 11 Glenwood 96771
• IMM HILO #1052
761 Kekuanaoa St Hilo 96720
• KADOTA LIQUOR
194 Hualalai St Hilo 96720
• KALAPANA VILLAGE CAFE
12-5037 Kalapana-Kapoho Rd Pahoa 96778
• KEAAU SHELL FOOD MART
16-573 Old Volcano Rd Keaau 96749
• KILAUEA 76 #210
1698 Kilauea Ave Hilo 96720
• KILAUEA GENERAL STORE
19-3972 Old Volcano Rd Volcano 96785
• KILAUEA MARKET LLC
1178 Kilauea Ave Hilo 96720
• KILAUEA SHELL FOODMART
1104 Kilauea Ave Hilo 96720
• MADHERHON’S FOOD & MERCHANDISE STORE
99 Keawe St Hilo 96720
• MALAMA GAS N GO - PAHOA #803
15-2664 Pahoa Rd Pahoa 96778
• MALAMA MARKET #2803 PAHOA FUEL CENTER
15-2664 Pahoa Village Rd Pahoa 96778
• MANONO MINI MART
454 Manono St Hilo 96720
• MINIT STOP
688 Kanoelehua Ave Hilo 96720
• MT VIEW MINI MART
18-1314 Volcano Rd Highway 11 Mountain View 96771
• N & P MART
15-2992 Puna Rd Pahoa 96778
• ORCHIDLAND GENERAL STORE
16-125 Orchid Land Dr Puna 96749
• PAHOA CASH & CARRY
15-2817 Pahoa Village Rd Pahoa 96778
• PAUL’S REPAIR SERVICE
15-1450 Kahakai Blvd Pahoa 96778
• POKE TO YOUR TASTE
790 Leilani St Hilo 96720
• PUNA FRESH FOODS
16-586 Old Volcano Rd, #102 Keaau 96749
• SEVEN - ELEVEN HAWAII INC #54138
1321 Kilauea Ave Hilo 96720
• SEVEN - ELEVEN HAWAII INC #54222
895 Kinoole St Hilo 96720
• SEVEN - ELEVEN HAWAII INC #54258
74 W Kawili St Hilo 96720
• SEVEN - ELEVEN HAWAII INC #54277
4809 Highway 11 Kurtistown 96760
• TESORO HAWAII (STATION 61081)
434 Kamehameha Ave Hilo 96720
• THE VOLCANO STORE
19-4005 Haunani Rd Volcano 96785
• WIKI-WIKI MART #4
16-119 Orchid Land Dr Keaau 96749
• WIKI-WIKI MART #5
1710 Kamehameha Ave Hilo 96720
—————-
West Hawaii
FAILED inspection (2)
• ISLAND GOURMET MARKETS
69-201 Waikoloa Beach Dr, Spc B1/B2 Waikoloa 96738
• WAIKOLOA BEACH SHELL STATION
69-250 Waikoloa Beach Dr Kamuela 96743
———
PASSED inspection (25)
• #5 WAIMEA SHELL (BIG ISLAND)
64-5196 Kinohou St Kamuela 96743
• A. ARAKAKI STORE
53-4142 Akoni Pule Hwy Kapaau 96755
• ACCENTS #1479
62-100 Mauna Kea Beach Dr Kamuela 96743
• ACCENTS #1481
68-1400 Mauna Lani Dr Kamuela 96743
• DANCING DOLPHINS
69-425 Waikoloa Beach Dr Waikoloa 96738
• FOODLAND FARMS MAUNA LANI #39
68-1330 Mauna Lani Dr, Ste 200 Kamuela 96743
• FOODLAND STORE #38
67-1185 Mamalahoa Hwy Kamuela 96743
• ISLAND SHORT-STOP & DELI
54-3695 Akoni Pule Hwy Kapaau 96755
• K. TAKATA STORE INC
54-3627 Akoni Pule Hwy Hawi 96719
• KAMUELA LIQUOR STORE
64-1010 Mamalahoa Hwy Kamuela 96743
• KAWAIHAE MARKET & DELI
61-3665 Akoni Pule Hwy Kawaihae 96743
• KTA SUPER STORES #8 (KAMUELA)
65-1158 Mamalahoa Hwy Kamuela 96743
• LAMONTS GIFT & SUNDRY #431
69-275 Waikoloa Beach Dr Waikoloa 96738
• LAMONTS GIFT & SUNDRY #437
1 N Kaniku Dr Kamuela 96743
• LIGHTHOUSE LIQUORS
55-3419 Akoni Pule Hwy Hawi 96719
• M. NAKAHARA STORES
55-515 Hawi Rd, Bldg #1 Hawi 96719
• MAUNA LOA VILLAGE
69-425 Waikoloa Beach Dr Waikoloa 96738
• MINIT STOP
61-3657 Akoni Pule Hwy Kawaihae 96743
• M’S PUAKO GENERAL STORE INC
7 Puako Beach Dr Kamuela 96743
• SUNDRY/LOGO SHOP
62-100 Kaunaoa Dr Kamuela 96743
• WAIKOLOA CHEVRON
68-1845 Waikoloa Rd Waikoloa 96738
• WAIKOLOA VILLAGE MARKET
68-3916 Paniolo Ave Waikoloa 96738
• WAIMEA CHEVRON FOOD MART
65-1200 Mamalahoa Hwy Kamuela 96743
• WAIMEA EXPRESS
65-1210 Kawaihae Rd Kamuela 96743
• WHALERS GENERAL STORE #230
69-250 Waikoloa Beach Dr Waikoloa 96738
