Vast majority of Downriver retailers comply with tobacco age law

As part of the campaign to raise awareness about tobacco use among youths, the Taylor-based Southeast Michigan Community Alliance surveys area retailers and conducts compliance checks alongside police officers.

The organization does checks in Wayne and Monroe counties and surveys more than 1,200 retailers. It also does Synar checks, named for Mike Synar, an Oklahoma congressman who spearheaded legislation on curbing youth tobacco use in 1992.

Law enforcement and Synar checks vary in that there is no purchase made in the latter and a much larger number of the former. Also, because Michigan doesn’t license tobacco retailers as it does liquor vendors, tickets only can be given by law enforcement. In Synar checks, the sale is not completed, but in law enforcement checks, a youth will purchase the tobacco if the clerk allows it. Teenagers between 15 and 17 years old are used to conduct the checks with chaperones or police officers.

The minimum age to purchase tobacco in Michigan is 18.

The state Department of Treasury regulates tobacco taxes. A call to the department was not returned by Friday morning.

Theresa Webster, SEMCA prevention services manager, said the state should license those who sell tobacco to make it easier for organizations like SEMCA to punish violators. It also would make it possible to hold retailers accountable. Currently, only the clerk who sells the tobacco can be ticketed.

While that has an adverse affect on retailers in time missed if a clerk is in court, it would be more effective if the store could be penalized, Webster said.

“Enforcement is a real good predictor of retailers complying with the law because even though Michigan doesn’t have an actual licensing law here and we can’t hold retail establishments accountable, their clerks are held accountable,” Webster said.

“It costs the retailers in time, money (and) training dollars if their clerks are tied up going to court over a ticket. You want to make sure the retailer has policies and trains their employees to make sure they’re doing what they’re supposed to do.”