INFORMATION #2 04-10-1995I(~if~O~ii11A~'iON
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Sherburne Counfy
PUBLIC HEALTH DEPT.
Thomas Zerwas
Chief of Police
City of Ells River
13065 Orono Road
Ells River MN 55330
Dear Chief Zerwas:
We would like to take this opportunity to send a big thank you to your department. Your recent
support of the tobacco compliance checks was greatly appreciated. Our joint efforts helped us to
assess where Elk River stands in regazds to youth access to tobacco products. This information
will be invaluable in determining our educational programming.
In particulaz, we would like to commend the efforts of the individual police officers involved.
They include Officer Bryan Vita, Officer Steve Miller, and Officer Bob Kluntz. Each of these
officers actively participated in the youth orientation as well as conducted the compliance checks
at the licensed vendors in Elk River. Their enthusiasm and rapport with the youth greatly added
to this project.
Thank you again for your support. We look forward to continue working with your department
to address the problem of youth access in our community. Hopefully our cooperative efforts
will help encourage and enable the community of Elk River to provide a safe, supportive
environment for our youth. And from this, our whole community will benefit.
Sincerely,
L/i+~-~/
Vonna H-_ e!~
my
Director
erich Jud Jafinson
Lori Klapp Y
Health Promotiori Supervisor Community Health Coord.
Box iii, Government Center
E!k River, Minnesota 55330
(M) 241-2750 Q 1-800-433-5237
SHERBURNE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH
TOBACCO COMPLIANCE CHECKS PROJECT
CITY OF ELK RIVER
RESULTS OF COMPLIANCE CHECKS
A tobacco compliance check was conducted at licensed vendors in the city of .
Elk River on March 9, 1995 between the hours of 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Five youth,
ages 14 - 17, attempted to purchase tobacco products at 20 of the 221icensed
vendors. Two vendors were excluded; Pamida, which does not sell tobacco
products any longer and Elk River Country Club, which was not open.
The results of the compliance checks are as follows:
. Number of attempts Number of sales % Success
Vending Machine 7 4 57%
Customer Assisted 12 3 25%
Self Service ~ ~ 100
Total 20 8 40%
The tobacco products purchased included single packs of cigarettes and chewing
tobacco. The total cost of the products was $24.61.
The types of establishments that sold tobacco included:
Bar/Restaurant - 4
Gas/Convenience Store - 3
• Grocery store - 1
Comments:
Checkers had high rate of success at locations with vending machines and self
service tobacco.
Checkers often went unnoticed in bars. At one bar, the teens requested change
for use in the vending machine. The change was given with no questions asked
and the teens were able to purchase cigarettes from the vending machine.
One establishment, at which a teen was able to purchase cigarettes from a vending
machine, has notified the police department that they have placed a locking device
on the vending machine. The locking device requires an employee to activate a
electronic switch before a purchase can be made from the machine.