Tobacco prevention efforts paying off

No one is declaring victory in the battle to keep tobacco products out of the hands of teenagers.

But the trend is unmistakably clear: Young people are smoking less and efforts to limit their access to cigarettes are making headway.

The latest indication that strides are being made in the fight against teen smoking is a recent report from re:TH!NK, the Lakeshore Tobacco Prevention Network.

The multi-jurisdictional coalition comprised of Winnebago, Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties, said the level of non-compliance by tobacco retailers during an investigation from January to July of 2011 was 8.1 percent. That compared to a non-compliance rate of 9.6 percent during the same months in 2010.

Tobacco retailers in Winnebago County were overwhelmingly compliant with the law that forbids the sale of tobacco products to minors. Out of 67 attempts by underage teens to buy tobacco, there were only two sales — a non-compliance rate of 3 percent. The 2010 non-compliance rate was 4.8 percent.

"We want to make sure teenagers can't purchase tobacco by themselves," said Emily Dieringer, coordinator of re:TH!NK. "It feels like our efforts are helping."

As part of the compliance process, two youths between the ages of 15 and 17 and an adult investigator made stops at various tobacco retailers. The minors attempted to purchase cigarettes or cigars. If they were asked for identification, they provided their driver's license to clerks. On the few occasions in which they made a purchase, a police officer was summoned and a citation was issued to the seller.

Dieringer said the tobacco prevention network has stressed to retailers the importance of keeping tobacco from minors, and the outlets have been making positive strides. She said the non-compliance rate was as high as 25 percent years ago.

"Now, it's 3 percent," Dieringer said. "That's great.

"We can't control what parents do, but this is something we can definitely make a difference on."

The report on tobacco sales compliance comes on the heels of an August 2010 Wisconsin Youth Tobacco Survey showing that smoking rates dropped by 15 percent among high school students and 9 percent among middle school students since 2008.