For the 16th
consecutive year, West
Virginia has been in compliance with federal requirements that limit retail
sales of tobacco to minor youth, based on an annual statewide survey conducted
by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for
Behavioral Health and Health Facilities (BBHHF). The findings
indicate that 92.0 percent of retailers inspected did not sell tobacco products
to youth under the age of 18 during 2015.
“The partnership between the Bureau for Behavioral Health
and Health Facilities, the West Virginia State Police and BBHHF grantees
reduces the availability of tobacco products to youth,” said Vickie Jones,
Commissioner of BBHHF. “I am proud of our teamwork and commend the
retailers and employees who contribute to the State’s tobacco prevention
efforts by not selling tobacco products to youth under the age of 18.”
The Synar Survey, named for its sponsor, Congressman Mike
Synar of Oklahoma, was enacted as part of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental
Health Administration Reorganization Act. The results are based on annual
inspection results.
Federal law authorizes the Substance Abuse Prevention and
Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant and requires states to enact and enforce laws
prohibiting sales of tobacco products to minors. The state must demonstrate
that its non-compliance rate does not exceed the target of 20% for illegal
tobacco sales to minor youth in order to maintain $3.5M in prevention and
treatment funds. SAPT, the largest funding stream in West Virginia supporting
substance abuse prevention and treatment, is administered by the Bureau for
Behavioral Health and Health Facilities.
West Virginia’s 2016 Synar report is available for public
comment at http://www.dhhr.wv.gov/bhhf/resources/Pages/default.aspx.