C-store Retailers Face Higher Fines for Tobacco Violations

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Retailers who violate federal tobacco regulations will now face stiffer penalties.

According to the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Tobacco Products, the Department of Health and Human Services recently issued a new regulation that adjusts for inflation the civil money penalty (CMP) amounts assessed against tobacco retailers for violations.

The adjusted amounts apply to CMPs assessed after Aug. 1, 2016, even if the associated violations occurred as far back as Nov. 2, 2015.

Under the revised amounts, a retailer who receives two violations within a 12-month period will face a $275 penalty, an increase of $25 from the previous amount. The changes increase as the number of violations build. For example, a retailer who receives six violations within a 48-month period will now face a $11,002 penalty vs. a $10,000 under the previous CMP structure.

For a list of the increased penalties, click here.