Tobacco Minor Sting Operation

The Coalition, Inc. has partnered with the Angelina County Sheriff’s Department in an effort to prevent and reduce the harmful use of tobacco products in rural areas like East Texas, where tobacco-related health problems are more prevalent.

The Angelina County Sheriff’s Department targeted area businesses that sell tobacco. The age limit to purchase tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, is now 21, per the new guidelines from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). However, all sting operations used a minor under the age of 18 in order to allow retailers time to update current practices and train employees. Out of the 294 attempts done in June, July and August, 26 citations were issued to the following businesses that sold tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to minors.

The businesses that sold tobacco products to minors include:

· Lufkin Vapor Supply on 3198 S John Redditt Dr in Lufkin;

· Brookshire Brothers #35 on 221 N Temple Dr in Diboll;

· Walmart Supercenter #140 on 2500 Daniel McCall Dr in Lufkin;

· JR Food Mart on 1114 E Denman Ave in Lufkin;

· Family Dollar Store #6227 on 1891 W Frank Ave in Lufkin;

· Super S Mart on 702 Southwood Dr in Lufkin;

· Big’s 3814 on 1004 S John Redditt Dr in Lufkin;

· Just Stop on 605 N Temple Dr in Diboll;

· Big’s 3817 on 3122 Atkinson Dr in Lufkin

· Kwik Check on 2215 E Denman Ave in Lufkin;

· Kwick Korner Food Mart on 203 S Timberland Dr in Lufkin;

· Family Dollar Store #1899 on 730 S Timberland Dr in Lufkin;

· Big’s 3818 on 620 N Raguet St in Lufkin;

· Crown Colony Food Mart on 101 Champions Dr in Lufkin;

· Pilot Travel Center #1023 on 1920 E Denman Ave in Lufkin;

· Love’s Travel Stop #709 on 5614 US-59 N, Lufkin;

· Rayburn Country Store Inc. on 7897 FM 2109 in Huntington;

· Brookshire Brothers #52 on 104 N Main Street in Huntington;

· Big’s 3817 on 3122 Atkinson Dr in Lufkin;

· Dollar General Store #15051 on 4136 E State Highway 103 in Lufkin;

· Kwik Check on 2215 E Denman Ave in Lufkin;

· WTIF Holdings LLC DBA Lakeview on 5896 State Highway 147 in Zavalla;

· Big’s 3806 on 1902 W Frank Ave in Lufkin;

· Brookshire Brothers #25 on 1807 W Frank Ave in Lufkin;

· West Loop Chevron on 904 S John Redditt Dr in Lufkin;

· Family Dollar Store #6227 on 1891 W Frank Ave in Lufkin;

Many businesses that were visited did not sell tobacco to minors and The Coalition and the Angelina County Sheriff’s Department commend them for protecting the youth of Angelina County from the dangers of tobacco and nicotine. For a complete list of businesses that were under compliance and did not sell to minors, please visit The Coalition’s Facebook page @thecoalition936. Contact The Coalition at (936) 634-9308 for more information.