News Release-Tobacco Sales to Minors-12.10.09
For Immediate Release
December 10, 2009
Contact: Jerri Pederson RN
Public Health Supervisor
222 Oak Street Spooner WI. 54801
715-635-4400
Washburn County Health Department, along with local law enforcement, has finished the last round of the Tobacco Compliance Investigations for 2009. The purpose of the Tobacco Compliance Check Program is to ensure that tobacco license vendors and their employees are obeying state and local laws pertaining to the illegal sales of tobacco products to minors.
Selling tobacco products to minors can have serious consequences for retailers. Wisconsin State Statute 134.66 prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 and also requires training for staff that sell tobacco products. Retailers who sell to minors can receive fines as high as $500 for selling to minors and licenses can be suspended up to 30 days if they’ve had a prior violation in the previous year. Both retailers and any employees who make illegal sales are subject to fines.
The youth investigators here and in surrounding counties have seen a disturbing trend this year. Sales rates to minors in our region have increased in 2009. Youth report that they were sold to most often when they produced their driver’s licenses to clerks and bar tenders. Burnett and Polk County investigators report similar trends. Burnett County reports a sales rate of 15.4% this year, up significantly from last year, and Polk County’s sales rates are nearly double last year’s numbers at 17.3%. Washburn County reports a 25% increase over last year’s numbers as well.
“One of our top priorities in the Washburn County Tobacco-Free Coalition is to protect youth from the dangers of tobacco use and addiction. One of the most effective ways to do that is to make certain they aren’t able to buy tobacco products from local retailers,” said Jerri Pederson, Supervisor for the Washburn County Health Department.
Tobacco control programs have dealt powerful blows to the U.S. tobacco industry in recent months and years including smoke-free workplace laws in 27 states, a 62 cent federal tobacco tax that went into effect in March and FDA regulation of tobacco industry practices. Though the tide may be turning in the battle against smoking, advocates caution that the tobacco companies won’t go down without a fight.
“They’re investing heavily in alternative smokeless tobacco products in order to respond to increasing regulations and smoke-free air laws,” said Jennifer Swenson, Polk County Tobacco-Free Coalition Coordinator. “These products are marketed as ways to get around the laws.”
Examples of these alternative products include snuff, chewing tobacco and “Snus,” which are spit-less tobacco pouches that users place under their upper lip. The tobacco industry promotes smokeless tobacco products as less dangerous alternatives to smoking and markets products in kid-friendly flavors like Berry Blend, Mint and Cherry. Camel advertising also reminds users that Snus can be used “Anytime, Anywhere” regardless of whether or not smoke-free laws are in place. Snus originated in Sweden but has become increasingly popular in the U.S. and has started appearing in Wisconsin stores.
“No matter what the industry tries to tell you, smokeless tobacco products aren’t a safe alternative to cigarettes,” said Swenson. “They can cause mouth and pancreatic cancer as well as receding gums, bone loss around the roots of teeth and teeth loss.”
With these new products on the racks, health professionals say it’s more important than ever to prevent tobacco sales to minors.
“Bright packaging, candy flavors and the illusion of a safer product may make these products more appealing to teens,” said Swenson. “Retailers help their business and their community by checking IDs for all tobacco purchases, including cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.”
Local health officials would like to remind retailers and their employees that the easiest way to make sure they are in compliance with Wisconsin law is to always ask for identification and check birth dates to assure they are not selling to a minor. Pederson reports, “The good news is vendors are consistently asking to see Ids--now they just have to make sure they are reading the birthdates correctly. The date a teen turns age 18 and 21 is printed under the picture on the teens’ driver’s license or permit so there can be no mistake by the vendor when calculating age.”
Free tobacco sales training and certification is available for retailers at www.smokecheck.org, an online test developed by the Wisconsin Wins program.