TRADING standards officers have vowed to root out shops illegally selling cigarettes to youngsters under 16.
The pledge comes after they published the results of their three-month undercover survey which saw several shopkeepers sell cigarettes to volunteers aged 14 and 15.
Out of 40 attempted purchases, 13 premises were found to have sold the children cigarettes. On one day four out of five shops tested sold cigarettes to female volunteers.
When questioned, traders said that was often too difficult to tell how old teenagers were.
Prosecutions are now imminent.
Hampshire trading standards officers reminded traders that the only way to be certain someone is old enough to buy tobacco is to ask for proof of age.
Hampshire County Council leader Councillor Ken Thornber said: "The message we need to get across to businesses is that they must ask more young people for indentification otherwise court action will be taken."
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