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Businesses that sell tobacco to underage youth might face stiffer fines.

The House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee unanimously endorsed HB325 and sent it to the full House.

"Almost 90 percent of smokers tried their first cigarette before age 18. Almost no one starts smoking after age 25," said Rep. Robert Spendlove, R-Sandy, the bill's sponsor. "Among youth who persist in smoking, a third will die prematurely."

So he urges tougher sanctions against businesses that sell illegally to youth.

"We've got o be aggressive on this," he said. "We've go to do more to protect children."

For a first offense, his bill would raise the maximum fine from $300 now to a range of $300 to $750.

For a second offense within three years, fines would increase from a maximum of $750 now to a range of $750 and $1,000.

For a third offense, fines would rise from a current maximum of $1,000 to a range of $1,000 to $1,500. It would also suspend the tobacco license of the business for 90 days, up from a current 30 days.

Dave Davis, president of the Utah Retail Merchants Association, said it may be too tough on those businesses that use state-approved training programs that seek to stop selling to youth, because employees sometimes "just don't do what you train them to do."

But Spendlove said his bill would allow some reduction in penalties for businesses that have such programs. Currently, law mandates reducing penalties for a first offense by 50 percent if businesses have such training programs, but the bill would make reductions discretionary.