Anne Arundel County officials say they have reached an all-time low for illegal tobacco sales to minors during random compliance checks.
In a release, the county’s Department of Health said that during 468 tobacco compliance checks over the past 12 months, 10 percent of retailers were cited for selling tobacco to those under 18 years old, which the county said is an “all-time low” and a decrease from 21 percent of retailers checked three years ago.
The department cited efforts by County Executive Steve Schuh’s administration to reduce use among teenagers, saying the 468 checks were “an increase of almost 200 percent over the number of checks conducted in fiscal year 2015.”
“This achievement shows that the strategic enforcement and better communication with retailers can greatly reduce tobacco sales to minors and help our young people remain tobacco-free and healthier,” Acting County Health Officer Fran Phillips said in a statement.