The FDA has announced that it has awarded contracts to the Iowa Department of Commerce (Alcoholic Beverage Division), the New Mexico Human Services Department and the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services to begin conducting FDA-sponsored retail compliance inspections. All of those NATO members operating stores in each of these three states will have already received or will be receiving a special notice from NATO about these compliance inspections.
Generally, the inspectors are checking for the following:
- No self-service displays of cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco or smokeless tobacco in a store that allows minors to be present.
- No sales of individual cigarettes or "loosies," as they are referred to by FDA staff.
- Store clerks request and check photo identification of customers that are under 27 years old.
- Store clerks do not sell tobacco products to an underage minor accompanying the inspector.
Click here for a link to the FDA Web page that lists the 38 states, plus the District of Columbia, currently under contract to perform FDA retail compliance inspections.
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