Tobacco Minor Sting Operation- Polk

The Coalition, Inc. has partnered with the Polk 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 Polk County Sheriff’s Department targeted area businesses that sell tobacco. The age limit to purchase tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, is 21, per the new guidelines from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Out of the 30 attempts done in November, December and February, 1 citation was issued to the business that sold tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to minors.

Many businesses that were visited did not sell tobacco to minors and The Coalition and the Polk County Sheriff’s Department commend them for protecting the youth of Polk County from the dangers of tobacco and nicotine. The businesses that did not sell tobacco products to minors include:

·      Vape Room Livingston; 321 W Church, Livingston

·      Xclusive Vape & Smoke Shop; 900 W Church, Livingston

·      Stripes Store 41037#; 702 S Home St, Corrigan

·      Dollar General Store #00957; 409 S Home St, Corrigan

·      Brookshire Brothers #24; 100 S Home St, Corrigan

·      Corrigan One Stop; 2901 E 2nd St, Corrigan

·      Family Dollar #28490; 303 S Home St, Corrigan

·      Shopper Stop; 806 S Home St, Corrigan

·      Lucky Food Mart; 100 N Home St, Corrigan

·      Uday #11; 619 N Home St, Corrigan

·      Dollar General Store #4561; 13757 US Hwy 190 W, Onalaska

·      Circle K #2741439 ; 13710 US Hwy 190 W, Onalaska

·      Family Dollar #24877; 14420 S Hwy 190 W, Onalaska

·      New Malone's House of Beer Store; 14160 US Hwy 190 W, Onalaska

·      Old House Liquor; 14140 US Hwy 190 W, Onalaska

·      La Petite Market; 14506 US Hwy 190 W, Onalaska

·      Zipps Liquor #14; 13451 US Hwy 190 W, Onalaska

·      Dollar General Store #24763; 2351 N FM 356, Onalaska

·      Brookshire Brothers #71; 14658 US Hwy 190 W, Onalaska

·      Sandy Food Mart; 11915 US Hwy 190 W, Livingston

·      On the Road 123; 1199 FM 2457, Livingston

·      Beacon Bay Food Mart; 7384 FM 3126, Livingston

·      Energee; 2991 FM 2457, Livingston

·      Dollar General Store #13180; 380 FM 2457, Livingston

·      Family Dollar #32523; 2875 FM 3126 , Livingston

·      Corner Shell ; 5701 US Hwy 190 W, Livingston

·      Scenic Loop Grocery; 3375 FM 3277, Livingston

·      Lake Grocery; 2825 FM 2457, Livingston

·      Country Express; 8716 US Hwy 190 W, Livingston

The business that sold to minors received a toolkit to assist store leadership in training employees on the importance of checking IDs and not selling to minors. The business that failed include:

·      Puff Parlor; 144330 US Hwy 190 W, Onalaska

For additional information, please contact The Coalition at (936) 634-9308.