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Health Officials Hope Online Program Will Reduce Illegal Tobacco Sales

Health departments are promoting an online training program for tobacco retailers, designed to reduce illegal sales of tobacco to minors.

Marta Koelling is Community Health Specialist for the Oneida County Health Department.  She says the online program called smokecheck.org is free and educational. 

“It offers information and study guides on Wisconsin’s tobacco laws, checking ids, and communicating with customers.”

Participants can choose to take an exam at the end of the training and receive a state-approved certificate. 

She says it’s a way for retailers to demonstrate their commitment to reducing illegal tobacco sales to minors…and avoid costly fines. 

“Oneida County performs annual tobacco compliance checks at tobacco retailers, in order to prevent tobacco sales to minors and keep kids in the community safe.

The Health Department says since the start of the tobacco checks program called Wisconsin Wins in 2001, the illegal sale of tobacco sales to minors has dropped from 38 percent to 7.3 percent. 

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