3 Jun 2009

Illegal tobacco sales in Marshalls on decline

1:21 pm on 3 June 2009

A drop in illegal sales of tobacco to teenagers in the Marshall Islands is being linked to an aggressive public awareness campaign over the past year.

More than 25 percent of takeout stores in the two urban centres sold tobacco to minors which is a big drop from the 90 percent figure in 2008.

A Majuro-based non-profit organisation, Marshalls Prevention Group, carried out the 2009 survey on Majuro and Ebeye.

The group used teenage youth operatives working with police to conduct the survey.

It says a recent vendor education campaign helped to reduce the violation rate.

However, it says results still show that one out of every four stores broke the law.