"Our county's results are exactly what we were afraid of," stated Heather Gruenig Duvall, program director for the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency Tobacco Education Program. "The state results showed an increase in businesses selling to minors and our results confirm that in Stanislaus County as well."

Stanislaus County health officials conducted a sweeping undercover survey of 177 businesses throughout Stanislaus County that sell tobacco products. The preliminary results for the county's July 2000 survey indicate a 16.9% illegal sales rate. Over 30 teens under age 18 were involved in the survey.

"Businesses in Stanislaus County showed dramatic improvement between 1995 and 1999 where the illegal sales rate went from 54% to 12 .3%," Duvall noted. "It now appears that some businesses are not taking the law seriously and that is disturbing. The legal issue is obeying the law, but the moral issue is putting the health of our children first."

Underage youth under the supervision of an adult approached a variety of businesses in an

attempt to purchase tobacco products under the concealed supervision of an adult. The July 27

survey was conducted in: Modesto, Turlock, Oakdale, Ceres, Riverbank, Patterson, Hughson, Crows Landing, Denair, Empire, Hickman, Keyes, Knights Ferry, Newman, Salida, Waterford and Westley.

"After last year's survey results came in, the Tobacco Education Program sent a letter to each business selling tobacco products in Stanislaus County. We then did 99 educational visits to merchants who sell tobacco and we partnered with law enforcement in training a variety business leaders to help them understand the law," Duvall stated. "Our approach in supporting the business community has been collaborative and educational. But if the sales rates to children don't go down, law enforcement may need to become more involved."

The California legislature passed the STAKE Act (Stop Tobacco Access To Kids Enforcement Act) in 1994 to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to minors. The STAKE ACT was designed to protect the health of children by stopping illegal sales of tobacco to youth. The owner of a business where tobacco is sold or provided to a minor may be fined $200-300 for the first violation and up to $6,000 for a fifth or subsequent violation within a five year period.

It is estimated that 300 children begin to smoke or chew tobacco in California every day, with more than half of them starting before the age of 15.

The Stanislaus County Health Services Agency (HSA) is an outpatient medical system with 9 medical offices located throughout Stanislaus County. The HSA operates the Public Health Department, an Urgent Care Center and multiple programs serving over 400,000 patients and clients each year in Stanislaus County. The HSA also is in local partnerships for the MOMobile project and the Stanislaus Family Practice Residency Program. The HSA has extensive community health information available at its web site www.schsa.org