5 Niles Retailers Cited For Selling Tobacco Products To Minors

NILES, IL — Police said five local retailers sold tobacco to minors over the past week. The violations took place during the first of three rounds of compliance checks of all Niles businesses licensed to sell tobacco.

A total of 29 stores were inspected with the help of youth agents from the Niles Police Department's Police Explorer program participated in the operation.

Businesses that sold tobacco to minors:

• Ash Vape Smoke & Tobacco, 871 W. Golf Road
• Mobil Gas Station, 8575 W. Dempster Road
• Assi Plaza, 8901 N. Milwaukee Ave.
• Caldwell Shell Gas Station, 7235 N. Caldwell Ave.
• Touhy and Lehigh Shell Gas Station, 5900 W. Touhy Ave.

All five businesses were issued citations for local ordinance violations.

Police said the incidents were forwarded to the village's Deputy Liquor Commissioner for further review.

Niles police carry out compliance checks with the help of a grant from the Illinois Liquor Commission's tobacco enforcement program.

The minimum age to purchase tobacco products is 18 in Illinois, although some municipalities and counties have raised the minimum age to 21.

Both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly passed bills to raise the minimum age to 21 statewide. Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the legislation. With a 62-45 vote last month, the Illinois House fell short of overturning the veto.