In 2007, Washington state had the fifth lowest rate of illegal sales of tobacco to minors compared to other U.S. states and the District of Columbia, according to a report from the federal Substance Abuse & Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA).
Under the the Synar Amendment program, a federal-state partnership program aimed at ending illegal tobacco sales to minors, sales to minors have fallen to an all-time low since the program began. In Washington, the rate of illegal sales dropped from 19.8% in 1997 to 5.2% in 2007.
Under the Synar Amendment, states and jurisdictions report annually to SAMHSA on their retailer violation rates, which represent the percentage of inspected retail outlets that sold tobacco products to a customer under the age of 18. To read the 2007 Annual Synar Report on State Compliance, please see: http://prevention.samhsa.gov/tobacco/synarreportfy2007.pdf.
