Kimball business fails tobacco check

A Kimball business was one of two in Kimball and Cheyenne counties that failed a recent Nebraska State Patrol check for compliance in selling tobacco to youth.

The NSP conducted checks of underage tobacco retail compliance as part of the Tobacco Free in the Panhandles comprehensive plan to keep youth from starting to use tobacco products. Officers with the assistance of youth under the age of 18 checked 10 convenience stores, grocery stores and liquor stores throughout the cities of Sidney and Kimball in March. Of the 10 establishments, eight did not sell tobacco to the underage person. However, two businesses did sell them tobacco.

The businesses that failed were Woody’s Liquor & Sporting Goods, located at 208 E. 3rd Street in Kimball, and Two J’s Liquor, located at 1500 Illinois Street in Sidney. It was the second time in the past 12 months that Two J’s Liquor had failed the compliance check.

The eight businesses that did not sell tobacco to underage persons are Kwik Stop, Main Street Market, Sportsman’s Liquor, Vince’s Corner and Dollar General in Kimball, and The Post, Safeway and Git’N Split in Sidney.

“A failure rate of 20 percent raises concerns and shows us there continues to be a need for education and training,” stated Tabi Prochazka, Tobacco Free in the Panhandle Coordinator. “Research shows that when communities consistently conduct compliance checks and keep failure rates below 10 percent, children in those communities are less likely to use tobacco products.”

Training for alcohol and tobacco retailers is available quarterly at locations throughout the panhandle. This training, sponsored by Panhandle Prevention Coalition and Nebraska State Patrol, provides individuals entrusted with the responsibility of serving alcohol or selling tobacco with strategies to avoid illegally selling to underage youth or intoxicated patrons. Responsible Beverage Server Training is available for free to retail merchants, owners, and employees across the Panhandle. The next training is on April 30. For more information on the retailer’s trainings, go to http://www.panhandlepartnership.com/training-academy.html.

Funding for Tobacco Free in the Panhandle is provided by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services/Tobacco Free Nebraska Program as a result of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.

For additional information visit http://www.pphd.org/tfn.html or call Tabi Prochazka, Tobacco Free in the Panhandle Coordinator, at Panhandle Public Health District at 308-487-3600 ext. 107.