Multiple Elkhorn establishments recently passed tobacco retailer compliance checks done by the Kenosha, Racine and Walworth Tri-county Tobacco-Free Coalition.
The checks, held on Aug. 13, are conducted as part of the Wisconsin Wins program facilitated through the coalition.
Businesses which passed the coalition’s compliance check include:
- BP, N6424 US Highway 12
- Casey’s General Store, 454 E. Geneva St.
- Country Mobil, W5180 Highway A
- Daniels Sentry, 801 N. Wisconsin St.
- Frank’s Liquor, 58 Market St., Ste. C
- Kwik Trip, 6 W. Hidden Trail
- Market Street Citgo, 109 Market St.
- Mobil Express, N6246 US Hwy 12
- Piggly Wiggly, 58 Market St.
- Speedway, 1025 Lincoln St.
- Walgreens, 939 N. Wisconsin St.
The Wisconsin Wins program uses an effective mix of education and oversight to decrease youth access to tobacco by conducting unannounced inspections at local tobacco retail outlets to track retailer compliance with Wisconsin’s tobacco sales laws, according to a press release from the coalition.
The press release said Wisconsin Wins provides free training and educational resources that assist retailers to understand the law. The program engages in community outreach and education to communicate the importance of preventing youth access to tobacco.
According to the release, Wisconsin Wins has delivered measurable results since 2001. In 2001, 34 percent of Wisconsin retailers sold tobacco products to minors, according to the release, and today, that number is in the single digits.
The release states retailers in 70 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties have completed training with smokecheck.org, a free online tool that teaches tobacco retail employees how to comply with Wisconsin’s tobacco sales law.
“As long as Wisconsin’s youth continue to gain illegal access to tobacco products, WI Wins remains a crucial component of our state’s tobacco prevention and control efforts,” Jacqueline Sieracki, assistant coordinator of the coalition, said.
According to the release, sales to Wisconsin’s minors increased from 5.4 percent in 2012 to 7.3 percent in 2013. Walworth County’s illegal tobacco sales to minors decreased from 11.7 percent in 2012 to 9.5 percent in 2014 during a three-year period.
According to the Campaign from Tobacco-Free Kids, 7400 new youth under the age of 18 become daily smokers.
