Mission and Policy Statement

   It is the Mission and Policy of the Berks County Office of The District Attorney Tobacco Enforcement Program to oversee all law enforcement aspects which would apply to the tobacco enforcement program. The Tobacco Enforcement Program has been set up to address the issue of licensed tobacco retail establishments providing and/or furnishing tobacco and/or tobacco products to minors under the age of 18.

   The Tobacco Enforcement Program uses the necessary means to control and/or enforce not only the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but also any local government laws which would apply. The program has a trained law enforcement official who oversees the program's operation. The program also has a trained adult supervisor who will accompany and/or monitor a trained student associate who is responsible for making any controlled tobacco/tobacco product purchase within any licensed retail establishment.

What is the Tobacco Control Enforcement Program?

   Due to an ever increasing use of tobacco among our youth, the Berks County Council on Chemical Abuse, with support from the Office of The Berks County District Attorney, has established a Tobacco Control Enforcement Unit. This unit ensures that all license tobacco retail establishments within Berks County comply with the laws regarding the sale of tobacco/tobacco products to minors under the age of 18.

   In order to reduce and prevent the use of tobacco/tobacco products among our youth, the Tobacco Enforcement Unit conducts unannounced periodic checks of all licensed tobacco retail/vending establishments throughout Berks County. Those failing to comply can be issued a citation to their establishment and also to the sales associate. Fines can be upwards of $1,000 for the sales associate and upwards of $5,000 for the retail establishment.

 What should I know?

IT IS WRONG and Illegal... to sell tobacco/tobacco products to minors under the age of 18.

• All vending machines should not be placed in an area that is accessible to minors under the age of 18.
• Most first time tobacco/tobacco product users begin in their teen years.

What should I do?

• All retail establishments should have mandatory training for all their employees who would be selling tobacco/tobacco products.
• All employees should ask for proof of age from anyone they think may be under the age of 18 prior to selling tobacco/tobacco products.
• The law allows the retailer to ask for identification from anyone age 27 or younger.
• If you observe or are aware of a retail establishment selling tobacco/tobacco products to persons under the age of 18...Contact the Berks County Council on Chemical Abuse at (610) 376-8669.

Why should you know?

Short-term health consequences of using tobacco/tobacco products may include:

• Respiratory and non-respiratory damage.
• Addiction to nicotine.
• The associated risk of other drug use.
• Physical fitness in terms of endurance and performance may be compromised.
• Long-term health consequences of youth using tobacco/tobacco products are reinforced by the fact that most young people who smoke regularly will continue to use those products throughout adulthood.
• Studies also show that the use of tobacco products at an early age, increase the risk of ling, mouth, larnyx, esophagus and pancreatic cancers.

Did you know?

• The cost per year for the average tobacco user is over $2,000.
• Smoking adds over $15,000 to one's medical spending.
• Federal and state governments spend over $45 billion each year on tobacco related illnesses.
• Mothers who smoke during pregancy cost government $4 billion per year.
• Fires caused by smoking cause appproximately $500 million in damage per year and kill approximately 2,000 people.

Program Goal toward tobacco users

To reduce the number of adult and adolescent tobacco users in Berks County, to elimate non-smokers exposure to tobacco smoke pollution and to reduce the tobacco industry's influence through the development of:

• Education and informational programs to educate the general public.
• Training programs for retail merchants.
• Training programs for community coalitions.

·         Initiatives for gathering information on retail establishments who sell tobacco/tobacco products.

·         Programs to provide technical assistance to any retail establishment/community coalition.

Program Goal toward retail establishments

To reduce youth access to tobacco products through the development of:

• Educational and informational programs which would help with educating retail merchants.
• Programs to inform every retail merchant of all the laws regarding tobacco sales to minors.
• Develop training programs for retail merchants on how to be in compliance with all laws.
• Initiatives for gathering information on retail establishments who sell tobacco/tobacco products.
• Programs for continued follow-up visits of all retail merchants to re-enforce education and laws.