Tobacco Compliance Checks Result in 92% Compliance

Staff members from the Garrett County Health Department and underage buyers from both county high schools worked with officers from the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office to conduct tobacco compliance checks around the county from July 2017 to June 2018.  The purpose of the checks is to ensure that tobacco products are not being sold to minors and that the tobacco product placement law is being followed.  Maryland State law requires persons to be at least eighteen years old to purchase or possess any tobacco product.

During fiscal year 2018, there were 122 compliance visits completed with 10 violations occurring for a compliance rate of 92%.

“Most of our merchants are compliant and do a very good job preventing underage sales to minors,” said Mike Wilburn, who supervises compliance operations for the health department. Those businesses that sold tobacco to an underage buyer were Winner’s Circle, BFS–Route 135, BFS-McHenry, BFS-Friendsville, Friendsville Liquors, Arrowhead Market, Zip’eez, 7-11 in Oakland, and Pilot.  In Garrett County, violations can lead to civil fines of up to $100 for the salesperson, up to $300 for the business owner, and referral to the State Comptroller’s office for repeat offenders.

Tobacco compliance operations will continue into fiscal year 2019. Before visits begin each year, vendors receive a packet of educational materials which contains training information for employees and promotional materials to make customers aware of tobacco laws. Every vendor also receives a letter that notifies them of the law, penalties for violation of the law, and the start date of local compliance visits.

“The goal of our compliance operations is to have the salespersons confirm proof of age before making a sale,” said Wilburn. “We are trying to catch vendors doing the right thing.”  Research demonstrates that more than 80% of tobacco users started using before they were 18 years old, so preventing tobacco sales to minors is one barrier to youth tobacco initiation.

For more information about tobacco compliance, contact Mike Wilburn at the health department at 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111.

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

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