Enforcement

Va. ABC Underage Buyer Program

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that without aggressive enforcement of tobacco-access laws, there will be no decrease in the purchase of tobacco products by minors. As a result, enforcement is an important component of the VTSF’s comprehensive youth tobacco-use prevention program.

The VTSF funds the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to conduct approximately 360 compliance checks per month, during which ABC agents randomly test tobacco retailers to see if retailers will sell tobacco products to underage buyers.

ABC regularly reports the results of these compliance checks to the VTSF. Since 1998, the noncompliance rate has decreased from 27% to 8.7%.

The Enforcement Process

One ABC special agent accompanies an Underage Buyer (UAB) into a tobacco-selling retail establishment. The UAB then attempts to purchase tobacco products from the retailer. As undercover agents under the enforcement authority of the state ABC, the agency’s UABs can purchase tobacco products from retailers with immunity and are paid as part-time state employees. Should a violation occur, the UAB returns to a secondary special agent outside the retail establishment. Witnessing the violation, the secondary special agent issues a state summons to the retail clerk.

Non-Compliance Rates