A Tuesday night undercover operation in St. Lucie County showed that 92 percent of the 58 stores visited refused to sell tobacco products to those under 18, according to St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken J. Mascara.

“We thank all those stores who are following the law,” Sheriff Mascara said. “Sadly, the five stores that didn’t follow the law all were large chain stores.”

St. Lucie County School Resource Deputies teamed up with the state Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco and the St. Lucie County Health Department’s FACE IT program (”Families Acting Collaboratively to Educate and Involve Teens”) for the Tuesday night operation. Three teams each included a volunteer teenager who was younger than 18. State law prohibits the sale of tobacco products to those under 18.

The offenders received a citation and a notice to appear in court to defend their actions.

The stores that violated the law were:

- Flying J Truck Stop, Kings Highway

- Walgreens, 2423 Orange Avenue, Fort Pierce

- Hess station, 3045 South U.S.1, Fort Pierce

- CVS, 1300 block of St. Lucie West Boulevard, Port St. Lucie

- Walgreens, 692 Prima Vista Boulevard, Port St. Lucie

More information about the work of the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco is available at its web site www.myflorida.com/dbpr/abt/index.html

The FACE IT program funded the overtime for the deputies who participated in the operation as part of the Tobacco Prevention and Education Control Program of the St. Lucie County Health Department.
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