Tuesday, December 18, 2007

2C:33-13.1 Sale of cigarettes to persons under age 19, petty disorderly persons offense.

2C:33-13.1 Sale of cigarettes to persons under age 19, petty disorderly persons offense.
3. a. A person who sells or gives to a person under 19 years of age any cigarettes made of tobacco or of any other matter or substance which can be smoked, or any cigarette paper or tobacco in any form, including smokeless tobacco, including an employee of a retail dealer licensee under P.L.1948, c.65 (C.54:40A-1 et seq.) who actually sells or otherwise provides a tobacco product to a person under 19 years of age, shall be punished by a fine as provided for a petty disorderly persons offense. A person who has been previously punished under this section and who commits another offense under it may be punishable by a fine of twice that provided for a petty disorderly persons offense.

b.The establishment of all of the following shall constitute a defense to any prosecution brought pursuant to subsection a. of this section:

(1)that the purchaser or recipient of the tobacco product falsely represented, by producing either a driver's license or non-driver identification card issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, a similar card issued pursuant to the laws of another state or the federal government of Canada, or a photographic identification card issued by a county clerk, that the purchaser or recipient was of legal age to purchase or receive the tobacco product;

(2)that the appearance of the purchaser or recipient of the tobacco product was such that an ordinary prudent person would believe the purchaser or recipient to be of legal age to purchase or receive the tobacco product; and

(3)that the sale or distribution of the tobacco product was made in good faith, relying upon the production of the identification set forth in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the appearance of the purchaser or recipient, and in the reasonable belief that the purchaser or recipient was of legal age to purchase or receive the tobacco product.

c.A penalty imposed pursuant to this section shall be in addition to any penalty that may be imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2000, c.87 (C.2A:170-51.4).

Criminal and Motor vehicle violations can cost you. You will have to pay fines in court or receive points on your drivers license. If convicted of a criminal offense you could face Jail Time and loss of Job. An accumulation of too many points, or certain moving violations may require you to pay expensive surcharges to the N.J. MVC [Division of Motor Vehicles] or have your license suspended. Don't give up! The Law Office of Kenneth Vercammen can provide experienced attorney representation for criminal and serious motor vehicle violations.

Kenneth Vercammen & Associates, P.C.
Attorney at Law
2053 Woodbridge Ave.
Edison, NJ 08817
732-572-0500 (Phone)
732-572-0030 (Fax)