Tobacco Compliance Checks
Purpose of Tobacco Compliance Checks is to Decrease Sales of Tobacco to Minors
Federal SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Synar Program mandates states to maintain a compliance rate of 10 percent or less of tobacco sales to minors or risk losing $10 million in Federal substance abuse prevention funding. The Federal SYNAR regulation is applicable to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the eight U.S. Territories. It is not applicable to American Indian Tribes.
State Statute 134.66 prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18. Tobacco products include cigarettes, cigars, rolling papers, chewing tobacco, loose tobacco, and e-cigarettes.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services contracts with local partners to conduct investigations to establish retailer compliance with the law. Local initiatives also include retailer education and training, media outreach, and community education.
Fond du Lac County Health Department is the fiscal agent for the “5 Counties for Tobacco-Free Living” coalition and contracts with the state to do tobacco retail compliance checks in Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, Washington and Waushara counties. Fond du Lac County Health Department contracts with Green Lake, Marquette, Washington and Waushara counties to complete tobacco compliance checks in each county.
The Wisconsin Wins (WI Wins) campaign is a science-based, state-level initiative designed to decrease youth access to tobacco products. WI Wins was launched in the spring of 2002 as part of a comprehensive approach to preventing youth access to tobacco.
WI Wins uses positive reinforcement to reduce illegal tobacco sales to minors. It congratulates local employees who do not sell tobacco to youth, while educating those who do.
For free retailer training visit: www.witobaccocheck.org
Annual sales to minors: www.wiwins.org
Tobacco Retailer Training Suggestions
Tobacco 21, Effective December 20, 2019
On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed legislation to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and raised the federal minimum age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21 years of age. It is now illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product – including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes – to anyone under 21 years of age.