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<section article="gcr" article_name="Criminal Law" number="10-107" title_number="10" title_name="Crimes Against Public Health, Conduct, and Sensibilities" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Crimes Against Public Health and Safety">
  <level label="a">
    <text>This section does not apply to the distribution of a coupon that is redeemable for a tobacco product, if the coupon is:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>contained in a newspaper, magazine, or other type of publication in which the coupon is incidental to the primary purpose of the publication; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>sent through the mail.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This subsection does not apply to the distribution of a tobacco product or tobacco paraphernalia to an individual under the age of 21 years who is acting solely as the agent of the individual’s employer if the employer distributes tobacco products or tobacco paraphernalia for commercial purposes.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A person who distributes tobacco products for commercial purposes, including a person licensed under Title 16, Title 16.5, Title 16.7, or Title 16.9 of the Business Regulation Article, personally or through an employee, may not distribute to an individual under the age of 21 years:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a tobacco product;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>tobacco paraphernalia; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a coupon redeemable for a tobacco product.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A person not described in subsection (b)(2) of this section may not:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>purchase for or sell a tobacco product to an individual under the age of 21 years; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>distribute tobacco paraphernalia to an individual under the age of 21 years.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>In a prosecution for a violation of this section, it is a defense that the defendant examined, in a direct, face–to–face exchange, the purchaser’s or recipient’s driver’s license or other valid identification issued by a government unit that positively identified the purchaser or recipient as at least 21 years of age.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>$500 for a first violation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>$1,000 for a second violation occurring within 2 years after the first violation; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>$3,000 for each subsequent violation occurring within 2 years after the preceding violation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In addition to the penalties under paragraph (1) of this subsection, if a person holds a license under Title 16, Title 16.5, Title 16.7, or Title 16.9 of the Business Regulation Article, the court shall order the Executive Director of the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>suspend the license for:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>a second violation, not more than 90 days; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>each subsequent violation, not more than 180 days; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>for each subsequent violation, revoke the license.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>For a determination made by a court under paragraph (2) of this subsection, the clerk of the court shall send a copy of the final order issued by the court to the Executive Director of the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Issuance of a civil citation for the sale of a tobacco product to an individual under the age of 21 years precludes a prosecution for a violation of § 24–307 of the Health – General Article arising out of the same violation.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>For purposes of this section, each separate incident at a different time and occasion is a violation.</text>
  </level>
</section>
