Statewide Tobacco Compliance Checks
SYNAR Fact SheetThe state is required to check if youth under 18 can buy tobacco products. Below is a table showing the rate of sales to minors since 1995. Nebraska has dropped below 20 percent sales rate to minors in checks conducted by the Nebraska State Patrol and local Peace Officers.
Checks are conducted throughout the year and summarized into regional and statewide rates.
Summary of Troop Area Non Compliance Rates for Nebraska 1995 to 2007
Troop Area Headquarters Troop A Troop B Troop C Troop D Troop E Statewide Omaha Non Omaha 2007 13.6 3.0 8.1 5.8 14.5 25.2 16.1 11.5 2006 18.7 7.6 20.9 4.7 13.9 31.7 12.7 14.7 2005 14.1 11.2 4.5 15.2 8.5 7.6 10.7 2004 16.0 16.3 2.5 21.2 21.0 21.7 16.0 2003 19.0 10.7 9.2 22.4 18.8 19.2 15.8 2002 27.5 13.6 5.1 29.8 23.0 19.3 18.6 2001 28.2 13.8 6.3 22.2 26.5 23.7 18.8 2000 26.4 4.4 12.6 15.9 19.0 21.1 14.8 1999 28.1 16.8 15.4 35.7 23.6 27.1 23.1 1998 25.6 21.8 12.2 28.3 23.8 41.7 23.8 1997 20.1 20.1 17.9 29.2 21.5 41.5 24.3 1996 26.2 29.0 29.5 25.0 58.0 42.5 32.2 1995 65.5 54.5 28.6 32.0 75.0 18.6 42.9
During the first three quarters of 2007 the Cooperating Individuals ( individuals between 15 and 17 years of age), and peace officers conducted compliance checks at 843 retailers in the state. The table below summarizes the results of the compliance checks and the 97 retailers who sold to the cooperating individual. Compliance checks used for this study are conducted in a strict statewide random sampling procedure. Your local community coalition may be working to conduct checks, and retailer education in your community.
Nebraska 2007 SYNAR Checks
Troop Area Percent of State's under 18 Population Total Number of Retail Outlets Number of Compliance Checks Number of Non-Compliant Percent Non-Compliant Headquarters 23.7 1500 184 25 13.6 Area A - Omaha 35.7 1377 166 5 3.0 Area A - Non Omaha 698 72 6 8.1 Area B 16.5 1092 137 8 5.8 Area C 12.6 964 117 17 14.5 Area D 6.3 773 103 26 25.2 Area E 5.2 495 62 10 16.1 State 100 6,899 843 97 11.5 COMPLIANCE CHECK PROCEDURES
The Nebraska State Patrol goes out and checks for tobacco sales to minors. A
standard protocol is used. Cooperating individuals (persons under age for product purchases) sign
If Nebraska fails to meet its non-compliance targets it could be penalized up to 40% of our state substance abuse prevention and treatment block grant.
SYNAR Reports:
Complete SYNAR reports are available as part of the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant application for application year
Every three to four years the Division undertakes a survey to review the completeness of the commercial list service used to draw the sample for compliance checks. In 2007 the
Nebraska Tobacco Laws:
Nebraska has an array of tobacco laws including laws related to indoor smoking, underage possession, and licensure. These laws are summarized at: http://www.neded.org/files/assist/tobaclic.html
Nebraska Tobacco Licensing:
99 percent of municipal and county clerks responded to January 2008 request for tobacco licensing information
Annually the Division of Behavioral Health conducts a survey of the county and municipal clerks to obtain retail licensee holders names and address. This information is combined with a commercial list to obtain a sample to be used to conduct compliance checks. The list of licensees is available by contacting the Division. In January 2008, all 93 county clerks responded to the Division's request and all but 2 of 531 municipal clerks responded -
For more information, contact:
Robert Bussard, Program Specialist
(bob.bussard@dhhs.ne.gov)
Division of Behavioral Health
P.O. Box 98925
Lincoln, NE 68509-8925
Phone: (402) 471-7818
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