Wisconsin WINS
In the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, just over one-third of Jackson County high school students reported they had tried vaping. Vaping is the use of e-cigarettes or vapes, which can contain tobacco, nicotine and other highly addictive and dangerous substances. Nicotine is highly addictive and can have harmful effects on the young brain. Nicotine can also worsen symptoms of anxiety, depression, and ADHD.
The Wisconsin WINS campaign is a statewide campaign that works to decrease youth access to tobacco products and to help retailers avoid fines. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services contracts with local partners to conduct investigations into tobacco sales. The program also provides retailers education and training resources. The program congratulates clerks who do not sell tobacco to youth and educates those who do.
The federal tobacco 21 law requires an individual to be 21 years old to purchase any tobacco product. All retailers should check a valid photo ID before selling a tobacco product to make sure they are selling to someone of legal age. This is also important because most tobacco users start sometime during their teen years. Wisconsin WINS investigations can happen at anytime throughout the year, are unannounced, have local law enforcement involvement, and are authorized by Wisconsin State Statute 254.916.
Retailers can use the Wisconsin WINS free online tool to learn the facts about Wisconsin’s tobacco sales laws. By knowing the facts, a person can avoid mistakes and expensive citations for them and their business. Simply visit www.WITobaccoCheck.org to take a state-approved training. The training is free, available in multiple languages, will allow you to create a store account to help your employees and gives a certificate upon completion of the training.
Parents, guardians, and other adults who want to help the young people in their lives quit vaping can learn more at www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/vapefree or at www.TobaccoIsChanging.com.
Teens who want to quit vaping can text “VAPEFREE” to 873373 to access a free texting service that offers one-on-one support form a trained coach, a roadmap for their quit journey, and interactive content like games and videos.
