On June 22, 2009, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act) became law granting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of tobacco products to protect the public health generally and to reduce tobacco use by minors. SAMHSA and FDA are collaborating to ensure that their separate programs work together to help reach the shared goal of reducing youth access to, and use of, tobacco products.
FDA Tobacco Inspection Program
In Indiana, the FDA Tobacco Inspection Program is administered by Prevention Insights at Indiana University School of Public Health operating under a contract with the FDA Center for Tobacco Products. Local police officers throughout Indiana are hired part-time by IU to conduct inspections at tobacco retailers throughout Indiana.
Tobacco Retailer Training
In June 2018, the FDA revised its guidance document for Tobacco Retailer Training Programs. Businesses that sell tobacco may wish to incorporate some or all of the recommendations in this document.
https://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/Labeling/RulesRegulationsGuidance/ucm218898.htm
This 21-page guidance clearly explains the following:
- Provisions regarding tobacco product sale, distribution, advertising and promotion;
- Required warning statements on tobacco products;
- Civil money penalties and no-tobacco-sale orders that may result from violations of these provisions;
- The products covered by this guidance
Tobacco retailers are encouraged to incorporate FDA recommendations into their employee training programs. The guidance document includes recommended elements to be included in a retailer training program, such as laws, penalties, health effects of youth smoking, company policies, products covered by laws, age verification techniques, when and how best to refuse sales, effective ways to test employees knowledge.
For more general information about the FDA tobacco inspection process, see http://www.fda.gov/tobacco
For details about the requirements of the Tobacco Control Act, see http://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/Labeling/RulesRegulationsGuidance/ucm246129.htm
You can also contact FDA Center for Tobacco Products directly:
Phone (toll-free): 1-877-287-1373 (9am EST-4pm EST)
EMail: AskCTP@fda.hhs.gov