This section sets civil penalties for certain cigarette violations and lets officials seize unapproved cigarettes and the Attorney General seek court relief.
(a) A manufacturer, wholesale dealer, agent, or any other person or entity who knowingly sells or offers to sell cigarettes, other than through retail sale, in violation of Section 8-17-272, shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) for each pack of the cigarettes sold or offered for sale provided that in no case shall the penalty against a person or entity for that violation exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) during any 30-day period. (b) A retail dealer who knowingly sells or offers to sell cigarettes in violation of Section 8-17-272 shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) for each pack of the cigarettes sold or offered for sale, provided that in no case shall the penalty against any retail dealer exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for sales or offers to sell during any 30-day period. (c) In addition to any penalty prescribed by law, any corporation, partnership, sole proprietor, limited partnership, or association engaged in the manufacture of cigarettes that knowingly makes a false certification pursuant to Section 8-17-273 shall be subject to a civil penalty of at least seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) and not to exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) for each false certification. (d) Any person violating any other provision in this article shall be subject to a civil penalty for a first offense not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), and for a subsequent offense subject to a civil penalty not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each violation. (e) Whenever any law enforcement personnel or duly authorized representative of the State Fire Marshal shall discover any cigarettes for which no certification has been filed as required by Section 8-17-273, or that have not been marked in the manner required by Section 8-17-274, such personnel is hereby authorized and empowered to seize and take possession of the cigarettes. Cigarettes seized pursuant to this section shall be destroyed, provided, however, that prior to the destruction of any cigarette seized pursuant to these provisions, the true holder of the trademark rights in the cigarette brand shall be permitted to inspect the cigarette. (f) In addition to any other remedy provided by law, the Attorney General may file an action in circuit court for a violation of this article, including petitioning for preliminary or permanent injunctive relief against any manufacturer, importer, wholesale dealer, retail dealer, agent, or any other person or entity to enjoin such entity from selling, offering to sell, or affixing tax stamps to any cigarette that does not comply with the requirements of this article, or to recover any costs or damages suffered by the state because of a violation of this article, including enforcement costs relating to the specific violation and attorney’s fees. Each violation of this article or rules adopted under this article constitutes a separate civil violation for which the State Fire Marshal or Attorney General may obtain relief. Upon obtaining judgment for injunctive relief under this section, the State Fire Marshal or Attorney General shall provide a copy of the judgment to all wholesale dealers and agents to which the cigarette has been sold.