After you read the following NJ Criminal Statute (Underage smoking) you may decide that you need the help of a lawyer, or need a legal interpretation of how this statute applies to your case. The firm of Villani & DeLuca has experienced criminal lawyers with over 20 years of experience, including a former municipal prosecutor. Call the number above for a free 24×7 phone consultation or read more about the disorderly conduct charge.
a. A person who sells or gives to a person under 19 years of age any cigarettes made of tobacco or of any other matter or substance which can be smoked, or any cigarette paper or tobacco in any form, including smokeless tobacco, or any electronic smoking device that can be used to deliver nicotine or other substances to the person inhaling from the device, including, but not limited to, an electronic cigarette, cigar, cigarillo, or pipe, or any cartridge or other component of the device or related product, including an employee of a retail dealer licensee under P.L.1948, c.65 (C.54:40A-1 et seq.) who actually sells or otherwise provides a tobacco product or electronic smoking device to a person under 19 years of age, shall be punished by a fine as provided for a petty disorderly persons offense. A person who has been previously punished under this section and who commits another offense under it may be punishable by a fine of twice that provided for a petty disorderly persons offense.
b.The establishment of all of the following shall constitute a defense to any prosecution brought pursuant to subsection a. of this section:
(1)that the purchaser or recipient of the tobacco product or electronic smoking device falsely represented, by producing either a driver’s license or non-driver identification card issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, a similar card issued pursuant to the laws of another state or the federal government of Canada, or a photographic identification card issued by a county clerk, that the purchaser or recipient was of legal age to purchase or receive the tobacco product or electronic smoking device;
(2)that the appearance of the purchaser or recipient of the tobacco product or electronic smoking device was such that an ordinary prudent person would believe the purchaser or recipient to be of legal age to purchase or receive the tobacco product or electronic smoking device; and
(3)that the sale or distribution of the tobacco product or electronic smoking device was made in good faith, relying upon the production of the identification set forth in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the appearance of the purchaser or recipient, and in the reasonable belief that the purchaser or recipient was of legal age to purchase or receive the tobacco product or electronic smoking device.
c.A penalty imposed pursuant to this section shall be in addition to any penalty that may be imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2000, c.87 (C.2A:170-51.4).
L.1999, c.90, s.3; amended 2000, c.87, s.4; 2005, c.384, s.5; 2009, c.182, s.4.
Disclaimer: A copy of this statute has been provided for your information. This wording was current from the NJ website lis.njleg.state.nj.us as of August 2012.
