Tobacco compliance in Riverside is at all-time high

The Riverside Police Department announced that no violations were found in the third and final round of compliance checks for tobacco retailers in the village.

The compliance checks are performed to determine if local tobacco retailers are complying with state and local minimum-age tobacco laws, which prohibit the sale of tobacco to persons under the age of 18.

The program is funded through a grant from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission’s "Kids Can’t Buy ‘Em Here" Tobacco Enforcement Program. Riverside police educate local tobacco retailers on minimum-age tobacco laws and the importance of verifying the age of customers before selling age-restrictive products, such as tobacco.

Chief Tom Weitzel said compliance percentages have fluctuated since the program began in 1993. The last round of testing indicated a 100-percent compliance rate.

Over the summer months, the youth division will provide retailers with education and resources to facilitate their compliance to minimum-age tobacco laws.