• Preventing youth from beginning tobacco use

• Helping people quit

• Reducing exposure to secondhand smoke

• Reducing tobacco use in high-risk groups

• Contact us

• Links to outside sites

• Map of this site

• Alternative file format information

www.doh.wa.gov
a healthy dose of
information

In Washington, it is illegal to sell tobacco to those under the age of 18. Our statewide program works with local tobacco prevention programs, the Liquor Control Board, local law enforcement agencies, and others to ensure that the law is enforced. Making it difficult for young people to obtain tobacco products is one important piece of the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program's efforts to discourage the use of tobacco by young people.

The program and its partners work to prevent youth from gaining access to tobacco products by educating retailers and the public about tobacco sales and possession laws; encouraging innovative policing strategies; and conducting random, undercover checks of tobacco retailers to discourage sales to minors.  

More information about youth access

• Read more about preventing minors from obtaining tobacco in our youth access fact sheet.
   

• The following Washington regulations govern sales and possession of tobacco by minors:*

  • Youth access to tobacco law: RCW 70.155 (PDF 246KB)

  • Selling or giving tobacco to a minor: RCW 26.28.080  (PDF 74KB)

  • Sale and distribution of tobacco products: WAC 314-10  (PDF 201KB)

  • Licensing of tobacco retailers: RCW 82.24  (PDF 425KB)

  • Tobacco use on school property: RCW 28A.210.310  (PDF 49KB)
     

• The following statistical reports describe youth access activity in Washington State:*

  • Actions Taken Against Retailers for Tobacco Sales Violations

    • January 1 - March 31, 2008: Liquor Control Board (PDF 300 KB)

  • Washington State Fiscal Year 2007 Synar Report - Describes rate of illegal retailer sales to minors during random checks.  (PDF 328KB)
     

• Learn Washington State's standards for conducting compliance checks in the Washington State Compliance Check Protocol.  (PDF 157KB)
   

• Tobacco Product and Coupon Regulations

  • License required for sampling: RCW 70.155.050 (PDF 246KB)

  • Sampling in public: RCW 70.155.070 (PDF 246KB)

  • Tacoma Municipal Code 5.15  (PDF 5512KB)
    Regulation of sale of tobacco products - sampling and coupon ban

  • King County Title 19.08  (PDF 104KB)
    Restrictions on tobacco product advertising and promotion
     

• Local tobacco prevention program contacts
   

*Many of the files listed on this page require a free viewer. Download viewer.

Links to external sites of interest*

• Synar Amendment Information from the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention:  The Synar Amendment to the Health and Human Services Act sets forth compliance check requirements, and guidelines for the distribution of federal substance abuse prevention and treatment dollars to the states.

• Revised Code of Washington (RCW), Washington Administrative Code (WAC), laws and Rules  

• Washington State Liquor Control Board  

• Local Liquor Control Board Enforcement Offices

• Washington State Department of Licensing 

• Public Health Seattle King County Tobacco Prevention Program  

• CDC Healthy People 2010 Goals for Social and Environmental Change  

«REPORT A TOBACCO SALE VIOLATION«

click above to submit an online report

or call 888-838-3956

 

Contact
Paul Davis
360-236-3642
Paul.Davis@doh.wa.gov

 * Links to external resources are provided as a public service for educational purposes only. External links do not imply endorsement by the Washington State Department of Health of any political, commercial, promotional or other proprietary content that may be included in linked Web sites.

Linked external Web pages are routinely monitored by the Department for materials that advocate for political outcomes. If you find any materials on a directly linked Web page that advocates for, or against, any political candidates, ballot measures, or referendums, please contact us immediately so that the link may be promptly removed.

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Mailing Address:
PO BOX 47848
Olympia WA 98504-7848

Fax: (360) 236-3646

Last Update : 05/20/2008 04:30 PM
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