Clark County retailers pass tobacco compliance checks
Preventing the illegal sale of tobacco and vape products to minors is a critical step toward reducing underage smoking and its long-term health consequences.
“We know that more than 80% of adult smokers started before the age of 18, and about 95% of them before turning 21. This is why it is so important to continue the work to prevent young people from starting to use commercial tobacco and nicotine products—to protect their health today and long into the future,” noted Paula Tran, state health officer and Division of Public Health administrator.
In mid-June, the Clark County Health Department (CCHD) conducted tobacco compliance checks at licensed retailers throughout the county. During each check, a youth under age 18 attempted to purchase a tobacco or vape product. In total, 27 compliance checks were completed—and every single retailer refused the sale, resulting in a 100% compliance rate.
These checks are part of the Wisconsin Wins program, funded through a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Wisconsin Wins is a statewide initiative aimed at reducing youth access to tobacco products by educating retailers on tobacco sales laws and promoting proper ID verification. Since the campaign’s start in 2002, sales of tobacco to youth have dropped dramatically across the state—from 33.7% in 2001 to 11.8% in 2024.
Illegally selling tobacco to minors can result in hefty fines and jeopardize Wisconsin’s federal funding for drug treatment and prevention programs. The following Clark County retailers passed their compliance check and are doing their part to keep youth tobacco-free: Abbotsford: Togo Amoco, Dollar General, Express Lane, El Pasito Chili: Chili Corners Club Curtiss: Abbyland Travel Center Granton: Granton Convenience Store, Dollar General Greenwood: Kwik Trip, Family Dollar, River Country Co-op Neillsville: JD’s Brickyard Pub & Grub, Hansen’s IGA, River Country Co-op, Kwik Trip Owen: One Shot, O-W Sports & Liquor, Dollar General, CreekSide Convenience Thorp: Kwik Trip, BP, Express Mart, Hausum Tobaco, Specialty Smoke Shoppe, Family Dollar Unity: Happy Beeerz Withee: Refuel Pantry Retailers interested in free, state-approved training on Wisconsin tobacco sales laws can visit witobaccocheck.org. For a full list of WI Wins inspection results by county, visit wiwins.org.
Last week Tuesday, the Marathon County Public Library – Spencer Branch hosted “Dragon Training Academy,” a program featuring a steampunk inventor named Brock Barnabas who teaches kids about dragons and time travel, at the Spencer Lions Park. Above, a youngster tries to pet one of the dragons Barnabas brought.
