Thanks to store clerks for refusing sale of tobacco to anyone under 21

Sales clerks at nine businesses in Lincoln County passed a tobacco sales compliance check conducted recently by The Nebraska State Patrol. We appreciate them and all the other clerks who are careful to prevent the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21. That is the minimum legal sales age by Nebraska and federal law.

Unfortunately, a clerk at another store failed to check the identification of the cooperating 17-year-old minor and made the sale.

Even a well-intentioned and experienced clerk can have a slip-up, so it is important to be aware at all times. For example, when things are busy, a clerk may accidentally enter the wrong birthdate into a sales register. There can also be a tendency to assume that if a customer shows an identification, he or she must qualify to make the purchase. Then the clerk may not take the time to look at the identification closely.

If a customer is well above the minimum age, the clerk may be able to type a default code into the cash register to allow the sale, rather than ask for identification. However, caution is in order, because some people look much older than they really are.

North Platte Police Department conducts regular training sessions for sales clerks. Some businesses also do their own training and give incentives to encourage employees to be careful to avoid underage sales. We appreciate those things very much.

Nearly all adult tobacco users started before the age of 21, and now many of them regret it. The nicotine in cigarettes, chew, e-cigarettes and other tobacco products is highly addictive; it can have its greatest effects on youngsters, whose brains are not fully developed. Tobacco products can also cause heart disease, cancer, reduced stamina and vitality, etc. The law is intended to prevent people from starting to use products until they are old enough to make the decision, as adults.