Governor Doyle Announces Tobacco Sales to Wisconsin Minors at All-Time Low
MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle announced today that Wisconsin continues to reduce illegal sales of tobacco products to minors throughout the state, with tobacco sales reaching an all-time low. The state’s 2007 Synar sales compliance survey, which determines the number of retail outlets that are selling tobacco illegally to minors, shows a noncompliance rate of 4.5 percent – the lowest rate ever recorded for Wisconsin.
“As Attorney General, I fought the big tobacco companies to help protect children from the health hazards of tobacco use, and as Governor, I am very pleased we have made amazing progress in preventing the sale of tobacco to minors in Wisconsin,” Governor Doyle said. “I thank our retailers for their support of this program. Working together, we can continue to keep these numbers low.”
The new results surpassed the previous record of 5.5 percent set by the 2006 survey results, and demonstrate significant improvement compared with rates from previous years. In 2003, a sample of randomly selected retailers sold to underage youth at a rate of 18.5 percent statewide. The 2002 rate was 20.4 percent, and the rate in 2001 was 33.7 percent.
The annual Synar survey randomly selects retail outlets from across the state to determine a reliable estimate of the rate of illegal tobacco sales to minors. Named after the Congressman who sponsored the federal legislation, the Synar legislation requires all states to monitor and reduce the rate of illegal tobacco sales to minors at retail establishments.
Wisconsin’s federally established target rate for retail tobacco sales to minors is 20 percent, and failure to meet this rate can result in a 40 percent cut in a state’s federal block grant funds for substance abuse prevention and treatment. In Wisconsin, this would amount to approximately $10 million in lost funds.
The state’s Wisconsin Wins program provides the framework for reducing tobacco sales to youth. The program is managed by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS), which works with local partners, including health departments and other human service agencies, to conduct investigations to determine retailer compliance. Wisconsin Wins also provides retailer training, media and community outreach, and education.
"The Wisconsin Wins program is crucial to ensuring Wisconsin youth are tobacco-free,” said DHFS Secretary Kevin Hayden. “Since tobacco addiction has been shown to be stronger when the user begins as a minor, it’s critical that we make restricting youth access to tobacco products a statewide priority.”
For more information about the Synar report and tobacco control efforts in Wisconsin, please visit http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/tobacco.
“As Attorney General, I fought the big tobacco companies to help protect children from the health hazards of tobacco use, and as Governor, I am very pleased we have made amazing progress in preventing the sale of tobacco to minors in Wisconsin,” Governor Doyle said. “I thank our retailers for their support of this program. Working together, we can continue to keep these numbers low.”
The new results surpassed the previous record of 5.5 percent set by the 2006 survey results, and demonstrate significant improvement compared with rates from previous years. In 2003, a sample of randomly selected retailers sold to underage youth at a rate of 18.5 percent statewide. The 2002 rate was 20.4 percent, and the rate in 2001 was 33.7 percent.
The annual Synar survey randomly selects retail outlets from across the state to determine a reliable estimate of the rate of illegal tobacco sales to minors. Named after the Congressman who sponsored the federal legislation, the Synar legislation requires all states to monitor and reduce the rate of illegal tobacco sales to minors at retail establishments.
Wisconsin’s federally established target rate for retail tobacco sales to minors is 20 percent, and failure to meet this rate can result in a 40 percent cut in a state’s federal block grant funds for substance abuse prevention and treatment. In Wisconsin, this would amount to approximately $10 million in lost funds.
The state’s Wisconsin Wins program provides the framework for reducing tobacco sales to youth. The program is managed by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS), which works with local partners, including health departments and other human service agencies, to conduct investigations to determine retailer compliance. Wisconsin Wins also provides retailer training, media and community outreach, and education.
"The Wisconsin Wins program is crucial to ensuring Wisconsin youth are tobacco-free,” said DHFS Secretary Kevin Hayden. “Since tobacco addiction has been shown to be stronger when the user begins as a minor, it’s critical that we make restricting youth access to tobacco products a statewide priority.”
For more information about the Synar report and tobacco control efforts in Wisconsin, please visit http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/tobacco.
posted by Cheryl Hentz at 10:18 AM
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