Illegal Tobacco Sales Up in Price, Forest, and Oneida Counties Cmpared to Last Year

Source from:  WJFW Rhinelander 11/18/2014

Almost 15% of businesses in Price County sold tobacco to minors in 2014. That's an increase from last year.

Wisconsin businesses are tested every year to see if they'll sell tobacco to someone underage. It's part of a program called Wisconsin WINS.

An adult will go into the store with someone who's 16 or 17 years old.

The minor will then try to buy tobacco.

"In Price County, law enforcement always accompanies the adults and the children that go in for WINS checks and they ticket right away so they can write out citations the minute that it doesn't happen," says Price County Public Health Hygienist Nancy Rublee.

If the kid is sold tobacco the person selling and the business will be fined.

Two of the businesses caught in 2014 had already been in trouble for selling to minors. If they get caught a third time their licenses will be taken away.

Even though Price County's illegal tobacco sales increased from last year, they're still better than 2012. About one-third of businesses sold tobacco to minors in 2012.

That's why the Price County Health Department reached out to local businesses.

"I developed a retail training and sent out invitations to all the licensed retailers within the county who are able to sell tobacco products. I got a 50% attendance from them," says Rublee.

Other Wisconsin counties were tested too. Oneida, Forest and Vilas counties had more than ten% of businesses sell tobacco to minors. Lincoln County had none. Enditem