November 8, 2006

Random, unannounced inspections of retailers by the state Department of Health have helped Pennsylvania cut illegal tobacco sales by retailers to youth by 75 percent since 2001, Governor Edward G. Rendell said today.

“This year’s inspections found only 7 percent of retailers were still not following the law. That’s down from almost 28 percent in 2001 and makes this the third-consecutive year in which the non-compliance rate has remained below 10 percent,” Governor Rendell said, who noted inspections are required by the federal government as a condition for receiving federal drug- and alcohol-treatment money. “This is more evidence that our continuing efforts to keep tobacco out of the hands of children are working.”

Since 2002, Pennsylvania has been required to show that the percentage of retail tobacco sales to youth under the age of 18 is not exceeding 20 percent. States that exceed federal limits risk losing 40 percent of their federal substance abuse prevention and treatment block grants for the following year. These funds are distributed to counties to pay for drug and alcohol treatment and prevention programs and are worth millions of dollars.

“When Pennsylvania did its first baseline survey in 1996, the non-compliance rate was above 50 percent,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Calvin B. Johnson. “The fact that the rate is now at 7 percent is proof that our programs are working – and we won’t rest until we achieve complete compliance.”

Since 2002, the department has worked in collaboration with its primary contractors – community-based organizations who develop comprehensive tobacco prevention and control programs in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties – to conduct on-going enforcement checks, provide retailer education, and youth prevention initiatives.

For more information on tobacco prevention and cessation projects and activities, call the Department of Health toll-free at 1-877-PA HEALTH, or visit the PA PowerPort at www.state.pa.us, PA Keyword: “health.”

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For more information contact:
Troy Thompson
(717) 783-1116

Gary Miller
(717) 783-1116