Group Sues Stores Selling 'Huffing' Chemicals to Teens October 14, 2003
News Summary
The JFK Center for Civic Rights has filed a lawsuit against numerous stores in Santa Cruz county, California, for allowing children to buy products containing toluene, the Santa Cruz Sentinel reported Oct. 4.It is against state law for stores to sell products to minors containing the harmful chemical because children and teens sniff it to get high.
The stores named in the lawsuit are AutoZone Stores Inc., Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp., Kelly-Moore Paint Co., Kmart Holding Corp., CSK Auto Inc., Longs Drug Stores Corp., Orchard Supply Hardware Corp., Ralphs Grocery Co., Rite Aid Corp., Sears, Roebuck & Co. and the Sherwin-Williams Co.
The lawsuit seeks an injunction to stop the sales of such products to minors.
Assistant District Attorney Bill Atkinson said an investigation by the District Attorney's Office reaffirmed the problem. Atkinson said the stores would be contacted and if they fail to take action, his office would file a lawsuit as well.
The JFK Center for Civic Rights filed similar lawsuits in San Bernardino and Napa counties.
"We're trying to show a statewide practice, and I think we've established that," said Napa attorney Mark S. Pollock, who has filed the lawsuits on behalf of the nonprofit group. "There is no question this material shouldn't be sold to minors. Sniffing glue can cause permanent damage."
Some of the stores named in the Santa Cruz lawsuit were aware of the restrictions on toluene. Others thought that only certain products were restricted under the law, while some thought all products containing toluene had been removed from their store.
Atkinson is hopeful that store management would cooperate with his office to avoid a civil or criminal lawsuit being filed against them.
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