KING COUNTY, WA - In a recent ceremony, the Washington State Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse presented Public Health - Seattle & King County's Tobacco Prevention Program with the Year 2001 Outstanding Achievement Award. This award honors the Program's Synar Project, aimed at eliminating tobacco sales to underage youth.
"We are grateful that the State of Washington has recognized retailers, the community and Public Health's Tobacco Prevention Program," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "Without a doubt, we have formed a great and effective partnership to keep tobacco out of the hands of our youth."
The Synar Law requires that each state conducts annual compliance checks of tobacco retailers and that at least 80% of establishments are in compliance by not selling to underage youth. Public Health's Synar Project educates merchants and conducts the tobacco compliance checks in King County and 17 other counties across Washington.
Washington State is one of only four states (Florida, Maine, and New Hampshire) that has met the federally mandated 80% retailer compliance rate each year since the law was passed in 1993. States that do not reach the 80% compliance standard face the possible reduction of up to 40% of their federal substance abuse block grant funds. In Washington, this would represent as much as $12 million.
For more information on tobacco compliance checks and Public Health's Tobacco Prevention Program, please visit www.kingcounty.gov/health/tobacco
Providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention services for over 1.8 million residents and visitors of King County, Public Health - Seattle & King County works for safer and healthier communities for everyone, every day. |
