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FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE:
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Contact:
Jamilia Sherls, MPH, BS
Tobacco Prevention & Control Coordinator
Thurston County Public Health &
Social Services
360-786-5581 ext. 16966#
Sherlsj@co.thurston.wa.us
Several Thurston County
Retailers Sell Cigarettes to Minors
OLYMPIA --
Thurston County Public Health & Social Services (TCPHSS) has recently
conducted federally mandated Synar tobacco compliance checks at 26 tobacco
retailers around Thurston County, which resulted in a 73% compliance rate. Out
of 26 retailers, 7 were found to be in violation of the Youth Access Law:
Fraternal
Order of Eagles Prairie Aerie #4144 – 11609 Koeppen Rd SE, Yelm
Rainier
Chevron – 16518 Yelm Ave SE, Yelm
Olympia Alano
Club – 310 E. 4th Ave, Olympia
Melody Food
Mart – 415 Cleveland Ave SE, Tumwater
Olympia
Chevron – 2601 Yelm Hwy SE, Olympia
Tenino Corner
Grocery – 319 S. Wichman St., Tenino
Arco AM/PM
Mini Market – 402 Sleater-Kinney Rd SE, Lacey
In addition to
Synar tobacco compliance checks, Thurston County Public Health & Social
Services also conducted an additional 50 random compliance checks, which
resulted in 4 retailer violations:
The Evergreen
State College – 2700 Evergreen Parkway, Olympia
7-Eleven –
1022 Crosby Blvd SW, Tumwater
Parks Place –
608 Yelm Hwy, Yelm
Whistle Stop –
12745 Old Highway 99 SE, Tenino
In 1993, the Washington State Legislature passed the
Youth Access Law to reduce the illegal sale of tobacco to Washington youth
under the age of 18, due to a new federal law, the Synar Amendment. The Synar
law was passed in order to hold states accountable for reducing tobacco sales
to minors. States who do not meet the 80% compliance rate each year lose
federal grant dollars. Thurston
County and other counties around the state conduct compliance checks on
tobacco retailers in efforts to enforce this law.
Though
Washington State has always met the 80% compliance rate, this has not always
been the case for Thurston County. Since 2006, there has been a steady
increase of tobacco sales to minors. “Much more needs to be done in Thurston
County in regards to retailer education. All clerks at establishments that
sell tobacco must know to check ID every time and be aware of the consequences
of selling tobacco to a minor,” says Jamilia Sherls, Tobacco Prevention and
Control Coordinator at Thurston County Public Health & Social Services. Both
tobacco retail clerks and shop owners are fined when they are non-compliant
with the Youth Access Law. In addition, the store’s tobacco license may be
suspended if they continue to violate the law. Being informed of the law and
correct ways to comply are the keys for retailers to avoid penalties.
Starting July
1st, 2009, TOGETHER!, in conjunction with the Washington State
Liquor Control Board, will be conducting tobacco compliance checks in Thurston
County. TOGETHER! has been a community partner in tobacco prevention and
control for years and is dedicated to youth tobacco, alcohol, and drug
prevention. They will be working with retailers to stop tobacco sales to
minors in Thurston County. “TCPHSS and TOGETHER! have determined that efforts to assess the
availability of tobacco to youth and reduce youth access to tobacco were in
alignment with TOGETHER!’s mission and scope of work,” says Mary Segawa,
Executive Director at TOGETHER!. “We will be
strengthening our collaboration with TOGETHER! in efforts to prevent youth
initiation of tobacco products," says Dr. Diana Yu, Thurston County Health
Officer. “People who use tobacco products are more likely to develop chronic
health conditions and die pre-maturely. We want our youth to grow into
healthy, tobacco-free adults.”
If you work
for a tobacco retailer and would like more information on the Youth Access Law
or how to correctly check ID, please contact Meghan Sullivan, TOGETHER!
Program Manager, at 493-2230 ext. 19 or the Washington State Liquor Control
Board. For questions about this release, contact Jamilia Sherls at 786-5581
x1-6966#. | 