DARLINGTON - Illegal sales of tobacco to youth reached an all-time low in Wisconsin. Governor Jim Doyle announced that 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. Results from 2007 demonstrate significant improvement from the record noncompliance of 33.7 percent in 2001.
Lafayette County has seen a similar downward trend in illegal sales of tobacco. Checks conducted by Lafayette County Health Department through the WI Wins program show a noncompliance rate of 1.3 percent for 2007.
"We all benefit when youth stay tobacco-free. Preventing youth access is part of a comprehensive community approach to preventing youth smoking," said Debbie Siegenthaler, director, Lafayette County Health Department. "The diligence on the part of local retailers to check identification and refuse sales to minors is appreciated. I don't think anyone in our community wants to see kids take up smoking."
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.
The Wisconsin Wins program, which focuses on reducing youth access to tobacco, is part of the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services overall program to reduce youth smoking.
"Many things are coming together to reduce youth smoking in Wisconsin - the success of the WI Wins program, the cigarette tax, a funded tobacco prevention program, access to quitting help through the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line, and the proposed statewide smoke-free workplace law," said Siegenthaler. "When the community helps youth avoid tobacco, they have a much better chance of being a tobacco-free adult."
For more information about the Synar report and tobacco control efforts in Wisconsin, visit http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/tobacco.
Lafayette County has seen a similar downward trend in illegal sales of tobacco. Checks conducted by Lafayette County Health Department through the WI Wins program show a noncompliance rate of 1.3 percent for 2007.
"We all benefit when youth stay tobacco-free. Preventing youth access is part of a comprehensive community approach to preventing youth smoking," said Debbie Siegenthaler, director, Lafayette County Health Department. "The diligence on the part of local retailers to check identification and refuse sales to minors is appreciated. I don't think anyone in our community wants to see kids take up smoking."
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.
The Wisconsin Wins program, which focuses on reducing youth access to tobacco, is part of the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services overall program to reduce youth smoking.
"Many things are coming together to reduce youth smoking in Wisconsin - the success of the WI Wins program, the cigarette tax, a funded tobacco prevention program, access to quitting help through the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line, and the proposed statewide smoke-free workplace law," said Siegenthaler. "When the community helps youth avoid tobacco, they have a much better chance of being a tobacco-free adult."
For more information about the Synar report and tobacco control efforts in Wisconsin, visit http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/tobacco.
