Youth & Tobacco Prevention Efforts

The tobacco industry loses - and must replace - some two million consumers each year, either because they quit smoking or die. Studies have shown that the majority of new tobacco users will come from the ranks of young people. The tobacco industry spends $12.8 billion each year on advertising and promotion - $72.1 million of that is spent in Nebraska alone. Adolescent smoking rates in Nebraska experienced a sharp decline between 1997 (39.2%) and 2005 (21.8%). In 2003, the youth smoking rate dropped to 21.9 percent and remained stable in 2005 (21.8%) indicating a slackening in the declining trend. In 2007, the decline stopped and the trend moved slightly upward to 22.3 percent. Similar to youth smoking behavior, the use of smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco, snuff or dip) by youth experienced a sharp decline between 1997 (17.1%) and 2005 (8.7%). However, in 2007, smokeless tobacco use among youth increased to 11.5 percent. For more information about youth and tobacco check out the Data and Trends on Tobacco Use in Nebraska report.

No Limits

For information on how your youth can get involved in the tobacco prevention movement, check out No Limits! They are Nebraska's first tobacco prevention movement created and led by youth and they want Nebraska's youth to realize they can fight back against Big Tobacco's deadly marketing tactics. Visit them at www.nolimitsnebraska.com.

Tobacco Compliance Checks: What are Compliance Checks?

PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. coordinates quarterly compliance checks in Douglas and Sarpy Counties in collaboration with the Metro Omaha Tobacco Action Coalition and Tobacco Free Sarpy. Through partnerships with local law enforcement, attempts are made to check each tobacco retail license holder throughout the year.

During compliance checks, a plain clothed police officer accompanies a Cooperating Individual (CI) that attempts to purchase tobacco products. CIs are minors who use their own ID and make no attempt to look over the legal purchase age.

These compliance checks are critical in keeping tobacco products out of the hands of our youth. National research has shown that when communities consistently conduct regular compliance checks and keep failures below 10%, children are less likely to use tobacco products in those communities.

Current Results:

In Round 31, we conducted 889 Tobacco Compliance Checks in Douglas County with 31 locations failing to comply, resulting in a 3.4% failure rate.

List of Douglas County businesses who failed a tobacco compliance check.

In Round 16, we conducted 87 Tobacco Compliance Checks in Sarpy County with 3 businesses failing to comply, resulting in a 3.4% failure rate.

List of Sarpy County businesses who failed a tobacco compliance check.