Opinion ID: 202224
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Maine Tobacco Delivery Law

Text: 4 In 2003, the Maine Legislature adopted An Act to Regulate the Sale of Tobacco Products and to Prevent the Sale of Cigarettes to Minors. See L.D. 1236 (121st Maine Leg.) (codified at 22 M.R.S.A. §§ 1551, 1555-C & 1555-D) (Tobacco Delivery Law). The Tobacco Delivery Law was prompted by the recent increase in internet tobacco sales which are consummated by direct delivery to consumers through the mail or by commercial carriers. See Testimony of Representative Glen Cummings Before the Joint Standing Committee on Health & Human Services (Apr. 29, 2003). This phenomenon has complicated Maine's efforts to regulate the sale of tobacco products to minors and caused it to lose tremendous tax revenues as a result of tax free sales by unlicensed companies. Id. The associations persuaded the district court that §§ 1555-C(3)(C) & 1555-D are preempted by the FAAAA.
5 Maine's Tobacco Delivery Law permits a licensed tobacco retailer to sell tobacco products 2 directly to consumers via the internet or other electronic means so long as the retailer takes specified steps to ensure that sales are not made to minors. See id. §§ 1555-C(2) & (3). One such step requires the retailer to use a carrier that will ensure that: (1) the purchaser of the tobacco products is the same person as the addressee of the package; (2) the addressee is of legal age to purchase tobacco products and sign for the package; and (3) if the addressee is under 27 years of age, that she show a valid government-issued identification verifying that she is old enough to purchase tobacco products. Id. § 1555-C(3)(C). Penalties are imposed only against the retailer for violations of this provision. See id. §§ 1555-C(3)(E) & (F).
6 Section 1555-D makes it illegal for any person to knowingly deliver tobacco products to a Maine consumer if the products were purchased from an unlicensed retailer. 3 The section also states that a person delivering a package is deemed to know that the package contains tobacco products if it (1) so indicates on any side other than the side directly opposite the label, see Code of Me. R. ch. 203, § 11, or (2) was shipped by a person listed by the Attorney General as an unlicensed tobacco retailer. 4 7