§ 1005 - Persons under the age of eighteen; possession of tobacco products; misrepresenting age or purchasing tobacco products; penalty - Vermont Statutes

§ 1005. Persons under the age of eighteen; possession of tobacco products; misrepresenting age or purchasing tobacco products; penalty

(a) A person less than 18 years of age shall not possess or purchase tobacco products unless the person is an employee of a holder of a tobacco license and is in possession of tobacco products to effect a sale in the course of employment. A person less than 18 years of age shall not misrepresent his or her age to purchase tobacco products. A person who possesses tobacco products in violation of this subsection shall be subject to having the tobacco products immediately confiscated and shall be further subject to a civil penalty of $25.00. In the case of failure to pay a penalty, the judicial bureau shall mail a notice to the person at the address in the complaint notifying the person that failure to pay the penalty within 60 days of the notice will result in either the suspension of the person's operator's license for a period of not more than 90 days or delay the initial licensing of the person for a period of not more than one year. A copy of the notice shall be sent to the commissioner of motor vehicles, who after expiration of 60 days from the date of notice and unless notified by the judicial bureau that the penalty has been paid, shall either suspend the person's operator's license or cause initial licensing of the person to be delayed for the periods set forth in this subsection and the rules. An action under this subsection shall be brought in the same manner as a traffic violation pursuant to chapter 24 of Title 23. The commissioner of motor vehicles shall adopt rules in accordance with the provisions of chapter 25 of Title 3 to implement the provisions of this subsection, which may provide for incremental suspension or delays not exceeding cumulatively the maximum periods established by this subsection.

(b) A person less than 18 years of age who misrepresents his or her age by presenting false identification to purchase tobacco products shall be fined not more than $50.00 or provide up to 10 hours of community service, or both. (Added 1991, No. 70, § 2, eff. May 1, 1992; amended 1997, No. 58, § 5; 1997, No. 121 (Adj. Sess.), § 26.)