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Statewide Tobacco Compliance Checks
SYNAR Fact Sheet

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As part of the Nebraska comprehensive tobacco cessation and merchant education process the state checks to see 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. The goal is to have a violation rate across the state of less than 10 percent.

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
2009 15.6 6.1 20.3 13.5 11.7 19.3 15.4 13.5
2008 8.7 5.1 8.5 10.8 22.1 25.3 10.0 12.2
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 2009 the Cooperating Individuals ( individuals between 15 and 17 years of age), and peace officers conducted compliance checks at nearly 800 retailers in the state.  The table below summarizes the results of the compliance checks and the 104 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 2009 SYNAR Checks
Troop Area Percent of State's under 18 Population Estimated Outlet Population Number of Sampled Outlets Number of Violations Retail Violation Percent
Area A - Non Omaha 35.7 885 79 16 20.3
Area A - Omaha 1911 163 10 6.1
Area B 16.5 1498 133 18 13.5
Area C 12.6 1339 103 12 11.7
Area D 6.3 978 83 16 19.3
Area E 5.2 633 52 8 15.4
HeadQuarters 23.7 2108 154 24 15.6
State 100 9352 797 104 13.5

COMPLIANCE CHECK PROCEDURES

The Nebraska State Patrol goes out and checks for tobacco sales to minors. A PDF standard protocol is used. Cooperating individuals (persons under age for product purchases) sign PDF an agreement. A standard PDF reporting form is used. These standards are used by all law enforcement agencies in the state to conduct tobacco checks.  Checks are made by staff of each of the Nebraska State Patorl troop areas (Map)

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.

PDF  Entities that DID NOT pass the 2008 and 2009 compliance check. 

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 Complete SYNAR reports are available as part of the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant application for application year  PDF FFY 2010 (November 2009),  PDF FFY 2009   (November 2008) PDF FFY 2008 (November 1, 2007), PDF FFY 2007 (October, 2006),  PDF FFY 2006 (November 2005),  PDF FFY 2005 (December 2004) that summarize activities of compliance checks ending in September.

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 PDF Sampling Frame Coverage study found the list to be 85 % accurate. 

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 2009 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 2009, all 93 county clerks responded to the Division's request and all but 12 of 531 municipal clerks responded - PDF this map shows the distribution of the clerks responding and whether the entity conducts tobacco licensing.

For more information, contact:
Robert Bussard, Program Specialist
(Robert.Bussard@Nebraska.Gov)
Division of Behavioral Health     
P.O. Box 95026
Lincoln, NE 68509-5026
Phone: (402) 471-7821

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