HOUSE MEMORIAL 48

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2019

INTRODUCED BY

Joanne J. Ferrary and Deborah A. Armstrong and Karen C. Bash

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE TAXATION AND REVENUE DEPARTMENT TO STUDY THE NUMBER AND LOCATION OF TOBACCO RETAILERS IN NEW MEXICO.

     WHEREAS, tobacco use remains the number one preventable cause of death in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico law prohibits the sale of cigarettes, chewing tobacco, e-cigarettes and all other tobacco products to minors under eighteen years of age; and

     WHEREAS, ten and six-tenths percent of New Mexico high school students smoke cigarettes, eight and two-tenths percent use chewing tobacco or dip, ten and two-tenths percent use cigars and twenty-four and seven-tenths percent use e-cigarettes, according to 2017 data from the department of health; and

     WHEREAS, tobacco retailers sold tobacco to minors in nearly fifteen percent of undercover attempts in 2016, according to the human services department; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico does not require retailers to obtain a license to sell tobacco products, which hinders enforcement of tobacco control laws, including retailer training, compliance checks and issuing penalties to retailers found violating laws; and

     WHEREAS, no single state agency is responsible for maintaining a comprehensive list of tobacco retailers; and

     WHEREAS, the taxation and revenue department collects tobaccos and cigarette taxes from tobacco distributors;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the taxation and revenue department be requested to undertake a study during the 2019 interim to determine the number of tobacco retailers and the name and address of each retailer in New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the taxation and revenue department present a report on the results of its study to the appropriate interim legislative committees and to the human services department by October 1, 2019; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of taxation and revenue and the secretary of human services.

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