55's Health and Safety code, clerks are required to card anyone under 27 years old. Four cases were filed in Justice of the Peace E. Jay Hail's court, and eight were filed in Justice of the Peace Phil Woodall's court, Short said. We're pretty pleased with the results overall. Forcing stores to comply with the law and discouraging children from easy access to cigarettes make up the reasons for the sting, Short said.
Tobacco is a gateway drug because it usually precedes marijuana.
Last week deputies started the second half of the operation, which included the stings. Randall County applied for a block grant with the state comptroller's office to conduct the operation. But the sting operation is far from over, Short said. Our plans for the future are to continue doing stings on a random basis. We may go to 10 stores a week or we may go to the same store twice a day.