The latest I have heard is that it is OK to stock tobacco products, lottery machines, or holiday items as long as it is "sidework" and not main work. Cashiers that have to keep the lottery machines or the cigarettes stocked, or that have to handle those products, are just doing what someone else told them to. If, however, you owned a store, you cannot sell tobacco or lottery machines or have holiday merchandise or decorations.
All of which is hogwash. I personally think it is very stupid for anyone to start smoking, and would not do anything that would promote it to anyone that cannot think for themselves (if anyone can think independently, they will see that the cost of smoking usually to always exceeds whatever benefits). However, carrying tobacco products is purely a business decision (how they are promoted is a different matter). If someone smokes and cannot get cigarettes at your store, they will just go somewhere else. The same for lottery tickets (again, I would not promote them to people that cannot gamble within or below their means).
Decorating a Christmas tree is likely to land one in hot water with the witlesses. They keep changing the official view on that, confusing the hounders who might have a zero tolerance for such activity when it is unclear. My viewpoint is, if that is sidework and someone else is delegating that task to you, you are acting in a bicameral manner and therefore not responsible for it. If you are the owner, or volitionally take on such project, then you are responsible. Not that it is a bad thing--nor will the witless hounders uphold that viewpoint.
I personally would go ahead and decorate the Christmas tree. I put up my first tree in 20 years this past season, and tips I have found online can make decorating it much more fun. As for finding cigarettes, if you are handling them day in and day out, you get familiar with where they are whether or not you support smoking.
