BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Butte County Public Health has completed its first comprehensive tobacco retail enforcement operations in unincorporated areas of the county, citing several retailers for illegal sales to minors.

The Tobacco Retail Enforcement Program launched in 2025 after the county hired new Public Health Code Enforcement officers. The program operates through a California Department of Justice tobacco enforcement grant aimed at reducing youth access to tobacco and nicotine products.

Working with the department’s Prevention and Health Promotion Tobacco team, code enforcement officers conducted retailer education, compliance inspections and enforcement activities throughout the year. Minor decoy operations took place Nov. 5, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17, 2025, and Feb. 18.

During those operations, a supervised minor attempted to purchase tobacco products to determine whether retailers checked identification as required by law. Officers visited 41 retail locations.

Six retailers were cited for selling tobacco products to a minor decoy. Officers also identified 10 additional violations, including expired licenses and failure to display required signage.

Selling tobacco to a minor is an infraction under California law. Citations are issued to the employee who completes the sale. Fines are $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second offense and $500 for a third offense within 12 months.

County officials said enforcement remains a priority as Butte County ranks highest in California for current vaping among high school-aged youth and fourth highest for overall youth tobacco use.

According to the 2023 California Youth Tobacco Survey, 13.9% of Butte County high school students report current vaping, compared with 5.9% statewide. Current use of any tobacco product is 15.4% locally, compared with 7.3% statewide. In addition, 33.2% of local students report ever using tobacco products, compared with 21.6% statewide.

Public Health officials said enforcement will continue through follow-up inspections, compliance checks and ongoing retailer education focused on age-verification requirements.