Section 1399-MM. Sale of gutka prohibited


Latest version.
  • 1. No person shall knowingly sell
      or  provide  gutka  to  any other person under eighteen years of age. No
      other provision of law authorizing the sale of tobacco  products,  other
      than subdivision two of this section, shall authorize the sale of gutka.
      Any  person  who  violates  the  provisions of this subdivision shall be
      subject to a civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars.
        2. (a) The provisions of subdivision one of  this  section  shall  not
      apply  to  a  tobacco  business,  as defined in section thirteen hundred
      ninety-nine-n of this chapter.
        (b) Any person operating a tobacco business wherein gutka is  sold  or
      offered  for  sale  is prohibited from selling such gutka to individuals
      under eighteen years of age, and shall post in  a  conspicuous  place  a
      sign  upon which there shall be imprinted the following statement, "SALE
      OF GUTKA TO PERSONS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE IS PROHIBITED  BY  LAW."
      Such  sign  shall  be  printed  on  a white card in red letters at least
      one-half inch in height.
        (c) Sales of gutka by a tobacco business shall  be  made  only  to  an
      individual  who  demonstrates,  through  a  driver's  license  or  other
      photographic identification  card  issued  by  a  government  entity  or
      educational  institution  indicating  that  the  individual  is at least
      eighteen years of age. Such identification need not be required  of  any
      individual  who  reasonably  appears to be at least twenty-five years of
      age, provided, however, that such  appearance  shall  not  constitute  a
      defense  in  any proceeding alleging the sale of a tobacco product to an
      individual under eighteen years of age.
        (d) (i) Any person operating a tobacco business wherein gutka is  sold
      or offered for sale may perform a transaction scan as a precondition for
      such purchases.
        (ii)   In  any  instance  where  the  information  deciphered  by  the
      transaction scan fails to match the information printed on the  driver's
      license  or  non-driver  identification card, or if the transaction scan
      indicates that the information is false  or  fraudulent,  the  attempted
      transaction shall be denied.
        (iii)   In   any  proceeding  pursuant  to  section  thirteen  hundred
      ninety-nine-ee of this article, it shall be an affirmative defense  that
      such person had produced a driver's license or non-driver identification
      card  apparently issued by a governmental entity, successfully completed
      that transaction scan, and that the gutka had been  sold,  delivered  or
      given to such person in reasonable reliance upon such identification and
      transaction  scan.  In  evaluating the applicability of such affirmative
      defense the commissioner  shall  take  into  consideration  any  written
      policy   adopted  and  implemented  by  the  seller  to  effectuate  the
      provisions of this chapter. Use of a transaction scan shall  not  excuse
      any  person  operating  a tobacco business wherein gutka is sold, or the
      agent or employee of  such  person,  from  the  exercise  of  reasonable
      diligence  otherwise required by this chapter. Notwithstanding the above
      provisions, any such affirmative defense shall not be applicable in  any
      civil or criminal proceeding, or in any other forum.
        (e)  A  tobacco  business  or agent or employee of such business shall
      only use a device capable of  deciphering  any  electronically  readable
      format,  and  shall  only  use  the  information recorded and maintained
      through the use of such devices, for the purposes contained in paragraph
      (d) of this subdivision. No tobacco business or  agent  or  employee  of
      such  business  shall  resell  or  disseminate  the information recorded
      during such a scan to  any  third  person.  Such  prohibited  resale  or
      dissemination  includes but is not limited to any advertising, marketing
      or promotional activities. Notwithstanding the restrictions  imposed  by
      this paragraph, such records may be released pursuant to a court ordered
    
      subpoena  or  pursuant to any other statute that specifically authorizes
      the release of such information. Each violation of this paragraph  shall
      be punishable by a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars.
        (f)  A  tobacco  business  or  agent  or employee of such business may
      electronically or mechanically record and maintain only the  information
      from  a  transaction  scan  necessary  to  effectuate this section. Such
      information shall be limited to the following: (i) name,  (ii)  date  of
      birth,  (iii)  driver's license or non-driver identification number, and
      (iv) expiration date.
        (g) As used in this subdivision, "a device capable of deciphering  any
      electronically  readable  format",  "card holder" and "transaction scan"
      shall have the same meanings as are ascribed to such  terms  by  section
      thirteen hundred ninety-nine-cc of this article.