Mayor Nicholas Sacco and the Township Commissioners passed an ordinance at the last commission meeting that will require all tobacco retailers to seek a local license from the North Bergen Department of Health. The ordinance is meant to protect minors from illegal tobacco sales by ensuring that retailers are registered and local law enforcement is easily able to crack down on any illegal sale of tobacco products to minors.

 

As municipalities across the state seek to fill in the gaps where the state is not able to act, Tobacco Age of Sale Enforcement (T.A.S.E.) programs are meeting the need to more effectively enforce tobacco regulations among those that are under the age of 21. North Bergen’s T.A.S.E. program demonstrated to elected officials that local merchants were selling these types of products to minors at alarming rates. As a result, the Township passed the new ordinance to protect our youth.

 

Every retailer that sells tobacco in the township of North Bergen must now apply for a new license with the town every year. That means that retailers must be licensed by both the state and the town in order to legally sell tobacco. This will allow the township to keep a better eye on who is selling these products, in addition to funding actions aimed at keeping the tobacco market away from young consumers.