A study by Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), revealed the figures prompting a drive for urgent action.
Lu-meng-ying
Tobacco-control-division
Control-division
More than 37% of vendors unlawfully sell cigarettes to teens: report
01/26/2021 10:46 PM
CNA file photo
Taipei, Jan. 26 (CNA) Teenagers in Taiwan can easily buy cigarettes at 37.1 percent of stores across the country that sell the item, even though it is illegal, a government commissioned report that inspected 660 businesses has found.
The randomly selected businesses included grocery stores, internet cafes, convenience stores and other sellers nationwide, said the Consumers Foundation, which was commissioned by the government to carry out the investigation.
The investigation was conducted April-October last year, with the buyers posing as high school students in uniform, the foundation said.
It found that teenagers were able to buy cigarettes at 47.6 percent of grocery stores and internet cafes, 41.6 percent of betel nut stands, 27.2 percent of convenience stores, and 21 percent of supermarkets and hypermarkets included in the investigation, the foundation said.
Taipei
T-ai-pei
Taiwan
Lu-meng-ying
Flor-wang
Wang-ying-wei
Chang-ming-hsuan
Consumer-foundation
Familymart
Tobacco-control-division
Wellcome
Carrefour