Three Peabody merchants get burnt over butts

PEABODY – Loyal customers of three Peabody businesses will have to purchase their tobacco products elsewhere beginning the second week in January.The Board of Health decided to suspend the tobacco licenses of Lynnfield Street Shell at 85 Lynnfield St., Gulf Gas at136 Newbury St., and A&P Variety at 60 Aborn St. for selling tobacco to minors three times within the past two years. Each establishment was given a suspension for seven consecutive days and ordered to pay a $300 fine, which is usually paid by the employee at fault.The North Shore Tobacco Control Program performed the undercover sting that busted each business. They work on behalf of the city to ensure that retailers are in compliance with state and local regulations that prohibit the sale of tobacco products to minors. Representatives from the organization visit each location twice a year.Health Department Director Sharon Cameron said the businesses? repeated offenses are what sparked the Board of Health to take the penalties up a notch and prove that they?re serious.?We?re not looking to put people out of business, but we did feel the need to send strong message to vendors,” said Cameron. “We want to make sure employees are properly trained and managed.”Letters will be sent out to violators by the end of next week, said Cameron, with the exact start date of their suspension enclosed.The Board of Health will be present in stores the day their suspension begins. Each and every tobacco product must be removed from the store completely, not just from the shelves, prior to that date.?We?ll be doing spot checks throughout the time,” said Cameron, adding that their slates will not be cleared once their seven days are served. “They will need to stay clean for 24 months before the next offense would be considered a first offense.”Cameron said that if the businesses were found not in compliance before the 24 months are up, it would be treated as a fourth offense and entail far more severe penalties.?We just want compliance,” said Cameron. “We don?t want to impose fines and suspensions. We want them to be responsible and follow regulations.”Billy Gasinowski, manager of Lynnfield Street Shell, said that his store has a very strong crew of people who take the sale of tobacco to minors very seriously. He said that the recent violation was “one little lapse in concentration.”?I?m not trying to justify it,” said Gasinowski, who was a cigarette smoker himself for years. “But things happen. The last thing in the world I want to do is sell to minors. I hate seeing young people smoke because I know what they have in store for them.”Selling tobacco to minors hasn?t been an ongoing issue for Peabody, said Cameron. Just last November, 71 percent of establishments were in compliance. However, the remaining 29 percent not in compliance shows a trend that the Board of Health is concerned about.Cameron suggested that vendors work with the North Shore Tobacco Control Program to properly train their employees and prevent such instances from happening again. The organization provides free services and training to retailers onsite and at their Lynn location.Gasinowski is one step ahead of the game and reported that his employees will be participating in such training beginning Jan. 10. He also said that his store has since installed registers that prompt cashiers to enter the date of birth of all customers before a tobacco sale can be completed.For more information on the North Shore Tobacco Control Program, log on to their Web site at www.nstcp.org.