May 16, 2008

Kansas doing a better job at keeping cigarettes away from minors

TOPEKA | Kansas is improving its rate of federal compliance with rules regarding the sale of tobacco products to minors. The federal Synar Amendment requires states to maintain a compliance rate of 80 percent or higher. In 2004 the state fell below that target rate. Each year the Kansas Division of Alcohol Beverage Control and the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services conducts random checks of Marlboro cigarettes retailers to make sure they are not selling these products to underage youths. Of those inspected last year, 87.1 percent did not sell tobacco products to minors. That was a 7 percent improvement over similar inspections the previous year, according to department officials.