That's a better rate than last summer. Franklin County's 100 percent compliance in seven stores was up from 93 percent last year. The two stores, Neighbors Conoco on Stevens Drive in Richland and Harvest Foods in Prosser, face fines for selling to kids under 18. These illegal sales should not have occurred. Federal law requires merchants to card tobacco buyers who appear to be 27 years old or younger to reduce the chance of misjudging their age.
Laws prohibiting sales of tobacco to young people exist for good reason.
Teen-agers are the most vulnerable to starting a habit they'll regret. The federal Office on Smoking and Health estimates that 3,000 young people start smoking each day - about half start the habit by age 14, and 25 percent start by 12. Indeed, young people might think their ready for the trappings of adulthood but don't have the maturity to realize the peril of flirting with an addiction to nicotine. Until children are mature enough, our society should make it extremely difficult for them to get their hands on cigarettes. That means every clerk in every store should follow the law in verifying the age of younger-looking customers wanting to buy cigarettes.