5 Stamford Businesses Cited In Tobacco Compliance Checks: Police

STAMFORD, CT — After the Stamford Police Department conducted unannounced compliance checks in conjunction with state officials on Oct. 20, five Stamford businesses have received infractions for selling tobacco/e-cigarettes to people under the age of 21, according to Capt. Richard Conklin of the SPD.

"We've been hearing recently from a number of concerned parents that their children were able to quite freely purchase both tobacco and vaping products within the city of Stamford," Conklin said.

The department's organized crime squad partnered with the CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and its Tobacco Prevention and Enforcement Program on the compliance checks, and youths were deployed to five businesses in the city to make purchases on Thursday afternoon.

All five businesses sold vaping cartridges to the youths rather quickly, and the stores did not ask for identification, Conklin said. A first-time infraction comes with a fine of $300.

The following businesses were not in compliance, according to Conklin:

• Mohegan Smoke, 946 Hope St.
• Mohegan Smoke Shop, 900 High Ridge Road
• World's Exotic Smoke Shop, 2284 Summer St.
• Landmark Variety, 118 Broad St.
• Bedford Street Market, 27 Bedford St.

"Certainly we come away from this with an understanding that many of these shops are completely disregarding laws and openly selling to the youth of Stamford," Conklin said.

The SPD will continue to perform unannounced compliance checks within the city in the future, Conklin noted.