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Show I BILLING TOBACCO TO MINORS H HP HE act of selling, giving or in any way sup- H plying tobacco, in any form, to minors within H the State of Uth, constitutes a misdemeanor, and H a misdemeanor is punishable by a line of $12'.)!) and H by imprisonment for ix months. The burden of H ascertaining who are minors, or under 21 years H of age, is entirely with the person selling the to- H DACCO. The fact that a boy lies and iliiims to be H 21 who is not, does not relieve the merchant of H responsibility. If (he boy is proven to be a minor, the merchant is guilty of a misdemeanor and can H be given the full penalty of the law, if the court H so decides. B Now, it is definitely known that minors are buying tobacco in Cedar City. This information is now in the hands of the city marshal and the Juvenile Court officer. It is not proposed to pass lightly over this matter, and those who have been guilty of this offense have reason to tremble in their shoes. It is a mighty risky proceeding, at best, and the small amount of profit realized upon these sales is insignificant and inconsequential as compared to the risks that are being assumed. There is a determined stand being taken by the city oUicers. the Juvenile Court Judge, and a number num-ber of the parents to see that the state law in this matter is enforced, and it behooves all others to watch carefully that they are not implicated. And this does not apply alone to the merchants and storekeepers, carrying tobacco, but to those older boys and men the go-betweens who are in the habit of buying tobacco for boys who cannot obtain ob-tain it for themselves. They are just as guilty, and their crime is just as serious as that of the retailer who sells to minors. We know that the most of our dealers would not knowingly sell tobacco to minors; we are loath to believe that there are any. who would be so silly or naive, as to take this chance. Rut the fact remains that it is being done right along, and it is up to those guilty, whether knowingly or not, to ascertain the facts, before they are in the toils. Ignorance Of the law is no excuse The fact of a minor having tobacco in any form in his possession, whether using it or not; whether selling or giving it to others, or not, constitutes an offense, and is punishable by the Juvenile court. It is hoped, and confidently expected, that all parents of boys under age, as well as the community commun-ity in general will give their co-operation in this important matter and help stamp out one of the serious evils which beset the lives of growing boys and one which is far reaching in its effects, often being the forerunner of even more serious delin-quancies. |