Board of Health Upholds Tobacco Fines, Sets Suspension for Sam's Food Store

NORTH ATTLEBORO -- January 28, 2020, North Attleborough's Board of Health upheld tobacco fines against two South Washington Street businesses and refused to waive a seven-day permit suspension at Sam's Food Store at its January 28 meeting. Health Agent Erin Egan documented that Emerald Auto Sales owner Charlie Sarkis received a $100 first-offense fine after loose tobacco bags and Juul 3 percent cartridges were found in a self-service display on a re-inspection January 8; Sarkis argued his employee failed to relay the original inspection findings to him, but the board declined to waive the fine. At Sam's Food Store, owner Shaban Asghar, represented by attorney Edward Rorkman, faced a $200 second-offense fine and a seven-day suspension after Egan found Juul pods back on the shelf just three days after she had physically removed them and told employee Yasser Lateef they could not be sold; the board rejected arguments about regulatory confusion and the compressed timeline following the December 11 state regulation changes. The suspension was rescheduled from January 31 to February 10 through February 16 due to Asghar's travel. The board also noted a free tobacco-compliance training for all town retailers was set for January 29, with a menthol ban set to hit retailers June 1.