I don't get it!!! That's illegal!!

[Plaidman]

So about 7 in the morning, when this 10 year oldish kid comes in. Asks for a pack of Marboros Reds. I laugh, tell him I can't. He tells me Bullshit. I still tell him no. He storms out. Throughout the rest of the day, I had random people come in (At least 15!!!), tell me how f-ing stupid I am, for NOT selling their kid cigs, because obviously he wouldn't smoke them, it was for them.

And NONE of them would buy the cigs themselves, even though all of them looked old enough, yet would BITCH at ME for NOT selling that damn kid cigs!!!

[Gawdzillers]

I'm a little myself.
15 people know that kid, asked for one pack of smokes for all of them, and then all came in to tell you off?


What?

[Acolyte]

Hey, I've seen 10-year-olds who smoke, and know several people who started smoking at 10.

Just point out to them that it's kinda the LAW.

[draggar]

and the fact that police stations *LOVE* to send children in to buy cigaretts and alcohol as part of stings.

[Amethyst Hunter]

I'd flat-out tell these idiots that I don't feel like paying a huge fine and/or going to jail just because they have a nic fit. They want ciggies, they can damn well buy 'em themselves and not send the kids in to do their dirty work.

[Becks]

:snicker:

Some people.

This reminds me, though. When I was 10, give or take a year, my older sisters would send my twin sister and I to the store with a note to allow us to buy them smokey treats. It was allowed back then. How times have changed.

[Crazeyal]

You ought to ask for their names and addresses, hopefully they'll give it to you BEFORE you explain that you are giving it to the police to let THEM explain it to them.

[Boozy]

How dare you!?

You made them put down their beers, get off their asses, and go all the way to the store themselves! Do you realize the kind of hardship that is?

I mean, why even HAVE kids if you can't send them out to run your errands while you sit on the sofa picking your nose and chain smoking?!

This is ridiculous!

(How was that? )

[SuperB]

Unbelievable. I have no problem telling anyone their arse isn't worth the fine I'd have to pay if someone got wind of such a thing.

[MadMike]

This reminds me, though. When I was 10, give or take a year, my older sisters would send my twin sister and I to the store with a note to allow us to buy them smokey treats. It was allowed back then. How times have changed.

My dad used to do the same thing with me and my brother. But then, it was a small "mom and pop" store, in a small town where everyone knew each other. He'd simply call over there and tell them that he was sending us there for smokes for him.

[Plaidman]

Yeah, my mom would send my sister to the store to get ciggerrettes. The store would only get her my mom's brand though. One time my sister tried to get another brand for her friends, they said no and called mom up and told her Sister's tried to get this brand, and put her on the phone. My mom remembers telling my sister "Guess your friends will be getting old golds huh?"

My mom is cool. She would let us drink with our friends, if we wanted too, but all keys goes to her, and all stay there.

Strangely enough, I never took her offer til I was of legal age.


But on bright side, I didn't see asswipes today, and I hope to god I never do again. I guess swing guy got the same thing, bunch of people calling him stupid for not selling cigs to someone he didn't even know.

[Becks]

My dad used to do the same thing with me and my brother. But then, it was a small "mom and pop" store, in a small town where everyone knew each other. He'd simply call over there and tell them that he was sending us there for smokes for him.

Yep.

Ah, the good old days.

[SpyOne]

... tell me how f-ing stupid I am, for NOT selling their kid cigs, because obviously he wouldn't smoke them, it was for them.

I've found this phrase is useful for dealing with those folks:
"I'm sorry, but it's the law. If he's under 27, I have to see a photo ID. And he has to be at least 18 to buy cigarettes. It's a five thousand-dollar fine if I don't. Plus, they'll fire me. Sorry."
They're usually much more understanding when they realize the consequences for me.

I've never used this one, but I suppose I could use it, too: "I'm sorry, but I am prohibited by law from selling cigarettes to anyone if I think they are going to give them to someone else." Stupid, but true.

[SpyOne]

At least 25 years ago, my brother needed to send a friend who was about 12 to buy his cigarettes. He wrote a note, but the younger friend kept saying, "That's not going to work".
Kid returned with cigarettes, and said, "The clerk said the same thing you said they'd say, 'There's no way a kid would think this would work, so it must be legit.'"
The note simply said, "Its OK, Bill."



I liked it better when the law allowed some flexability on the part of clerks.

[Ducky Dew]

I remember buying cigs for my folks at about age 10 as well, no one thought twice about it. I also remember buying my own at age 12 (yeah, I started young, too young) for the whopping price of 50 cents a pack.