(a) Legal Age. No tobacco retailer, tobacco retail establishment, or person shall sell any tobacco product to any person under the age of twenty-one (21) under this Chapter and under Section 537.16 of the Oxford Municipal Code.
(b) Age Verification. Licensees must verify by means of government-issued photographic identification containing the bearer's date of birth that the purchaser of any tobacco product is at least twenty-one (21) years of age.
(c) Signage. Notice of the legal sales age for the purchase of tobacco products, age verification requirements, and possible penalties for underage sales must be posted within six (6) feet of each cash register or place where payment may be made in a place conspicuous to both employees and customers, and where the sign(s) are unobstructed in their entirety. The sign shall state, "The sale or provision of tobacco products to an individual under twenty-one (21) years of age is prohibited by law." The sign required shall be five and one-half (5 ½) inches by eight and one-half (8 ½) inches and the statement required shall be printed in thirty-six (36)-point boldfaced type. The required signage will be provided to the licensee by the City of Oxford.
(d) Samples Prohibited. No tobacco retailer, tobacco retail establishment, or person shall distribute samples of any licensed product free of charge or at a nominal cost, regardless of the age of the person acquiring the product. The distribution of a licensed product as a sample, free donation, or at otherwise nominal cost, is prohibited and shall subject the tobacco retailer or tobacco retail establishment to the penalties prescribed under this Chapter and those prescribed by other local, state or federal laws pertaining to samples, donation, or otherwise nominally priced tobacco products.
(e) No tobacco retailer, tobacco retail establishment, or person shall sell or offer to sell any licensed product in any manner or form prohibited by federal, state, or other local law, ordinance provision, or other regulation.
(f) Any person, tobacco retailer or tobacco retail establishment found to be selling a tobacco product without a license required under Section 744.02 shall be issued a No Sales Order for Tobacco Products and shall be ineligible to receive a tobacco retailer license for a period of three (3) years.
(Ord. 3778. Passed 10-15-24.)