The number of retailers in the area selling tobacco to underaged customers hasn't improved, and might be getting worse.
That's the assessment of a community health specialist for Oneida County Public Health Maria Otterholt....
"...We just finished our 2018 Wisconsin Wins compliance checks. For Oneida county, unfortunately, our sales are up a little bit this year. For Vilas county next door, the sales were about the same this year...."
The Wisconsin Wins campaign is an initiative designed to decrease youth access to tobacco products. Otterholt says any licensed retailer is subject to the compliance checks. She says they randomly approach retailers to see if they are making illegal sales.
Both Oneida and Vilas counties had a 13 percent rate of illegal sales. Oneida's rate last year was 11 percent. Otterholt says they work with retailers to make sure staff is trained on tobacco sales...
"...Here in Oneida county if a retailer does sell, we issue a citation to both the individual that sold as well as the store owner if they have been properly trained, the clerk that sold there...."
Otterholt says there is free training online or they can do training sessions at the retail outlets. WITobaccoCheck.org provides free retailer training on Wisconsin tobacco sales law. The online tool includes study guides, a quiz, and a certificate of completion. Once trained, employees will know how not to sell tobacco to minors. Otterholt says 90 percent of adult smokers started before the age of 18. Wisconsin Wins was launched in the spring of 2002 as part of a comprehensive approach to preventing youth access to tobacco.
