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The Skagit County Tobacco Control Program and Washington State Liquor Control Board recently completed an assessment to determine how accessible tobacco products are to youths in Skagit County.

Included in the assessment are required compliance checks for tobacco retailers. Compliance checks occur when under-age youth operatives enter businesses and attempt to purchase tobacco products through coordinated efforts with LCB Officers and TCP staff.

From July 2007 to June 2008, 123 compliance checks were conducted in Skagit County. Skagit County TCP found that 87 percent of retailers were in compliance with the Washington state law.

These checks are a valuable and legal evaluation of retailers’ compliance with Washington state’s tobacco laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors.

Checks also indirectly measure youths’ ability to purchase tobacco products. Data obtained are used to support and improve tobacco prevention and control efforts throughout the state.

Retailer compliance checks are randomly conducted on a regular basis each year. For more information, call Lisa Mitchell at 360-856-7785.