Clallam County has conducted compliance checks on 48 retailers of tobacco products, including 11 in Sequim, 10 of which passed.

The checks are conducted by sending a minor into a store to attempt to buy tobacco products without proper identification.

Thus far in 2009, 48 tobacco retailers have been checked from Lake Ozette to Sequim. Five of 48 stores illegally sold cigarettes to minors,

resulting in an 89.5-percent compliance rate.

Stores that sell receive a fine according to the number of sales in a two-year period:

First offense – $100 fine to the store owner and $50 to the clerk who sold; second offense – $300 fine; third offense – $1,000 fine and a six-month tobacco license suspension; fourth offense – $1,500 fine and a 12-month license suspension; fifth offense – permanent license revocation.

Tobacco use is the No. 1 preventable cause of death in the U.S. Since Washington state initiated a tobacco prevention program in 2000, the number of youth smokers has been reduced by 50 percent .

These businesses refused to sell tobacco to minors.

Agnew Grocery, 2841 Old Olympic Highway

Carlsborg Station, 20 Carlsborg Road

C&K Smoke Shop, 457 W. Washington St.

D&L Grocery, 210 W. Washington St.

Hardy’s Market, 320 Old Olympic Highway

Kettel’s 76, 194 W. Washington St.

Rite Aid No. 5265, 520 W. Washington St.

Safeway No. 1448, 680 W. Washington St.

Speedi Mart, 320 Old Olympic Highway

Walgreen’s, 490 W. Washington St.

Sequim retailers who sold cigarettes to minors in 2009:

Sequim Chevron No. 105, 23 Hooker Road