Study shows Oneida County illegal tobacco sales on the rise
During the months of June and July, the Oneida County Health Department conducted tobacco compliance checks throughout Oneida County. A total of 60 checks were completed, and 11 establishments sold tobacco to a minor.
The current illegal sale rate of 18.3 percent is up dramatically from last year’s illegal sale rate of 0 percent. The main problem this year was the inability of many clerks to properly read or do the right math on the ID’s of youth.
The Wisconsin Wins Program began in 2001 as an attempt to decrease access of tobacco products to minors. Over 80 percent of tobacco users begin before the age of 18. Students 15 to 17 years of age, accompanied by public health officials, visit Oneida County tobacco retailers and attempt to purchase tobacco. If the clerk does the right thing by requesting identification, they are rewarded with a small thank you of appreciation.
Beginning in 2010, Oneida County became the lead agency for the Northwoods Tobacco Free Coalition, a six county multi-jurisdictional coalition comprised of Oneida, Forest, Florence, Price, Vilas and Lincoln counties. Wisconsin Wins and the Oneida County Health Department encourage all clerks selling tobacco to consistently card anyone who looks under the age of 27, and to refuse the sale of a tobacco product without proper verification of age. Please help to improve the health of our youth and improve our community’s future by refusing to sell tobacco to minors.
For additional information on the WI WINS program, and information on how to check ID’s and train employees, visit smokecheck.org and wiwins.org.
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