The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) is responsible for enforcing Article 13-F of the New York State Public Health Law and Article 25 of the Dutchess County Sanitary Code. Both Article 13-F, also known as the Adolescent Tobacco-Use Prevention Act (ATUPA), and Article 25 strictly prohibit the sale of tobacco products*, herbal cigarettes, rolling papers, and pipes to ANYONE under the age of 21. With amendments made to Article 13-F, the ATUPA law also now prohibits the sale of shisha, smoking paraphernalia (including hookahs and water pipes), electronic cigarettes, and liquid nicotine to minors. By law, these age-restricted products may only be sold to those individuals who are able to demonstrate, through an acceptable form of identification, that they are at least 21 years of age.
In accordance with the ATUPA law, the DBCH is required to post, on a quarterly basis, the names and addresses of businesses that have sold age-restricted tobacco or tobacco-related products to minors.
The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) is responsible for enforcement of Article 13-F of the New York State Public Health Law, also known as the Adolescent Tobacco-Use Prevention Act (ATUPA). This act prohibits the sale of all tobacco products, herbal cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and liquid nicotine to persons under twenty-one years of age.
The following tobacco vendors were found to have violated the Adolescent Tobacco-Use Prevention Act between January 1, 2024 and March 31, 2024 by selling tobacco or electronic cigarette products to an underage individual, or for selling tobacco while their registration was suspended or revoked. The number of violations that each vendor currently has also appears.
For questions or information about the Adolescent Tobacco-Use Prevention Act, contact the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health, Tobacco Enforcement section at 845-486-3404.
NYS Public Health Law Article 13-F and DC Sanitary Code Article 25 also establish permit requirements for businesses that sell tobacco products.
All tobacco retail vendors in New York State are required to obtain a Retail Dealer Certificate of Registration for Cigarettes and/or Tobacco Products (DTF 716 or DTF 719-MN) from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF). It is the vendor’s responsibility to ensure that this license is kept current and is posted within the facility.
In addition to the DTF registration, all tobacco vendors in Dutchess County are required to obtain a Dutchess County Permit to Sell or Distribute Tobacco Products (.pdf). In order to process the Dutchess County tobacco permit application, vendors must possess a valid DTF registration prior to applying for the local permit. It is the tobacco vendor’s responsibility to ensure that their Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) tobacco permit is current and is posted within the facility.
Electronic cigarette vendors are also required to obtain a Dutchess County tobacco permit; electronic cigarette vendors are not required to obtain a DTF license, however.
On June 22, 2010, new federal restrictions on tobacco product sales and marketing went into effect that prohibit all tobacco product vending machines, except in adult-only facilities. In accordance with the new regulations, vending machines that are located in places where persons under 18 years of age may be present (such as in a restaurant with a bar) are no longer allowed and must be removed. For tobacco product vending machines that are located in adult-only facilities, a valid DTF Certificate of Registration as well as a tobacco permit issued by the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) are still required. Both licenses must be posted on the vending machine and kept current.
The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) tobacco retail permit IS NOT transferable. When a business is sold, the new owner must apply for a new permit with the DBCH after obtaining a new Certificate of Registration from the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.
Private clubs are exempt from local tobacco permit requirements.
Representatives from the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) conduct routine compliance checks at all businesses that sell tobacco products within Dutchess County. These businesses include, but are not limited to, convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores, delicatessens, and establishments with cigarette vending machines.
The primary purpose of these routine visits is to determine if tobacco vendors are in compliance with state and local laws. In addition to using an underage youth to verify that a business is not selling tobacco products or herbal cigarettes to minors, one or more of the following items may also be checked during an inspection:
Vendors who are cited during compliance checks for violations of NYS Public Health Law Article 13-F or Dutchess County Sanitary Code Article 25 (including tobacco sales to minors, self-service violations, and out-of-package sales) are subject to enforcement action.
Effective July 24, 2003, the amended New York State Clean Indoor Air Act (Public Health Law, Article 13-E) prohibits smoking in virtually all workplaces, including restaurants and bars. Additionally, Dutchess County’s local clean indoor air law, which went into effect on January 1, 2003, prohibits smoking in most indoor and enclosed outdoor public places.
The public may direct any tobacco-related concerns to the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) Tobacco Enforcement section at 845.486.3404.
* Tobacco products include, but are not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, bidis, chewing tobacco, and powdered tobacco.
