Tobacco Documents Online

I'm pleased to be part of an effort (We Card) to offer you an opportunity to educate yourself and your employees about responsible tobacco retailing and New York's state minimum-age laws on tobacco sales. -- Dennis Virtuoso, Niagara Falls (NY) County Legislator

WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT THE WE CARD PROGRAM I think it (We Card) is a great program. I just want to congratulate the businesses that are participating. This is a way that we can work together and make a difference. -- Terry Branstad, Iowa Governor I am pleased to endorse the WE CARD program to prevent underage tobacco sales as supported by the Coalition for Responsible Tobacco Retailing. I congratulate the Coalition on this responsible move and wish all its members good luck in this important effort. -- Marc Racicot, Montana Governor I want to take this opportunity to state my support of the We Card: Under 18, No Tobacco" initiative, and I encourage all Kentucky retailers to participate in the "We Card" program. "We Card" provides retailers the tools and education that are needed to prevent underage tobacco sales. -- Paul Patton, Kentucky Governor (T)he We Card program is designed to help retailers enforce the Arkansas youth-access law; and ... responsible retailers will participate in training seminars in Arkansas to educate their employees so that they may take their place on the front line in the effort to keep tobacco out of the hands of youth." -- Mike Huckabee, Arkansas Governor I think that the We Card program is great. It's great that the retailers and the grocers and all of the people who are on the front lines and have to comply with the law have the incentive, the willingness and the responsibility to work with us and all of us in law enforcement to comply with the law and to get the word out. -- Bill Pryor, Alabama Attorney General

The Wyoming Department of Health supports this (We Card) retailer training program. This program is designed to train your employees to handle this problem of underage tobacco sales .... -- Marilyn Patton, Administrator Wyoming Department of Health It's looking better for the kids in the state of Kentucky, and that's the focus. People are really paying attention to it (We Card), retailers specifically. -- Richard Johnstone, Commissioner Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Commission Through initiatives like those offered by the Indiana Coalition for Responsible Tobacco Retailing, retailers are showing that they are serious about addressing the youth access issue. They deserve our support. -- Kevin Schaefer, Chairman Indiana Alcoholic Beverage Commission I want to congratulate retailers like you for coming out and taking this proactive step to keep cigarettes away from minors. Use We Card, it is a solid program. -- Harry Kennedy, Missouri State Representative The sole purpose (of the We Card campaign) is education of the retailer, education of the customer, and the public at large that the selling of tobacco to those who are not over 18 will just not be permitted any longer. -- Mike Thornbrugh, Oklahoma State Representative When youngsters come into the stores and want to buy (tobacco products), they're the ones who are there every day, every minute, and can catch them ... by demanding their identification card. -- Mary Ann Mahaffey, Detroit (MI) City Council Chairperson

Nevada has really stepped up to the plate, and we're proud to participate in this We Card program ... I do think that it's a collaborative and cooperative effort, and education is at the heart of all this. -- Frankie Sue Del Papa, Nevada Attorney General Despite the short period of time that the We Card program has been in effect in New York State, I think we have already seen enormous results. -- Dennis Vacco, New York Attorney General Retailers have an important role in preventing the sale of tobacco to minors ... (We Card) workshops such as today can and should help those behind the counter to understand the law, what it is, and to learn ways to reduce youth access to tobacco. -- Jeffrey Pine, Rhode Island Attorney General "The training provided (by We Card) was highly professional and has significantly enhanced our state-wide tobacco program. I realize stats are a poor example in many cases. However, since your training sessions, our percentage rate for tobacco sales to minors has decreas_ed 7.1% from 25.1% to 18%." -- Sergeant John Roberts, Tobacco Program Coordinator Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board I am pleased to inform you of statewide efforts being undertaken to train retail sales clerks and store managers in how to comply with Michigan's prohibition on tobacco sales to minors. The We Card initiative in Michigan is sponsored by the fourteen members of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Tobacco Retailing ... I encourage all retailers to participate in the We card initiative in Michigan. -- James Haveman, Jr., Director Michigan Department of Community Health