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The importance
of enforcing the state's youth access law is indisputable
and the premise is extremely simple — if youth can't
get tobacco, they are less likely to use it. Mississippi
is one of the few states in the nation that can boast having
a 97 percent retailer compliance rate in keeping tobacco
out of the hands of minors. Investigators
from the Attorney General's office lead this effort. Since
1998, the violation rate of tobacco sales to minors has
dropped from 32.7 percent to 3.8 for 2008.
And it doesn't
stop there. While clerks are busy checking IDs before selling
tobacco products, they are also checking them before selling
beer. The practice is creating a renewed emphasis on keeping
these products out of the hands of children, too.
For more
information or to report a violation, please contact the
Attorney General's Office at 601-359-3680 or www.ago.state.ms.us.
(The Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement Unit is listed under
the Public Integrity Division.) |
