MINNEAPOLIS -- NATO and three major retail organizations representing retailers across Massachusetts have announced the launch of the Coalition for Responsible Retailing, to tackle the issue of youth access to tobacco. Together, the New England Convenience Store Association (NECSA), the New England Service Station & Auto Repair Association (NESSARA), the Retailers Association of Massachusetts (RAM), and the National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO) are standing together to applaud the role that retailers play in keeping tobacco products out of the hands of minors.
The coalition was formed specifically to help tackle the problem of 86% of minors that get tobacco from social sources. The four retail trade associations acting under the Coalition for Responsible Retailing banner will work with cities and towns in Massachusetts to pursue the adoption of regulations that would help stop the flow of non-retail sources that provide minors with the vast majority of tobacco products.
According to a 2014 study from the Journal of School Health, 86% of minors obtained cigarettes from older siblings, relatives, friends, or other social sources, but not local retailers. In Massachusetts alone, the number of youths who are obtaining cigarettes from a social source may be as high as 9 out of 10. Under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 270, parents and guardians can legally provide tobacco and nicotine products to minors.
Additionally, there are no laws in Massachusetts prohibiting minors from using and possessing tobacco products once they obtain them. Data from the Food and Drug Administration shows that 91.8% of Massachusetts retailers were found to be in compliance with existing state and local laws on over 200,000 compliance inspections and trends in local inspections frequently show even higher compliance rates.
The Coalition for Responsible Retailing urges Massachusetts’ state and local leaders to join with retailers and proactive community members to stop the social sources of tobacco and nicotine products for minors. Over the coming weeks, Coalition representatives will be asking to meet with cities and towns throughout the state with a request to adopt a set of regulations that will provide communities with tools to reduce youth access to tobacco. The Coalition is also launching a media campaign aimed at drawing attention to these efforts so that other concerned community members can take a stand with their local retailers and support the adoption of the proactive policies.
Retailers work very hard to prevent the sale of tobacco to underage youth. This new effort being launched by the Coalition is dedicated to helping local towns enact a credible solution to the social sources problem that, up until this time, has not been addressed as the real problem in youth access to tobacco products. Adult age friends, siblings, parents and even strangers need to understand that obtaining tobacco products for a minor is wrong and that there will be consequences for those who inappropriately act as the source of tobacco products for youth.
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