Wisconsin WINS Program
The WI WINS program is a state and local partnership dedicated to protecting children from the health hazards of tobacco, and to decrease youth access to tobacco products. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) reports that underage tobacco and vape sales increased to 13.6% in 2023 from 11.9% in 2022. These are the results of the Synar Survey, an annual statewide assessment of the retailer violation rate for underage sale of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. In 2019, the rate was 5.5% and reached its highest point in 2021 when the rate was 14.1%. On average, underage tobacco and vape sales have increased 140% since 2019.
The CDC estimates that every day in the United States, 3,600 young people between the ages of 12 and 17 years initiate cigarette smoking. E-cigarettes have been the most commonly used tobacco product among youth since 2014.
Statistics show smokers and smokeless tobacco users who began using in their youth have more difficulty quitting later in life than those who began as adults.
WI WINS activities include retailer education and training, media outreach, community education, and investigations to establish retailer compliance with the law. By decreasing youth access to tobacco, youth tobacco uses decreases, lifetime health effects lessen, and Wisconsin WINS.
- For more information on the Wisconsin Wins program, visit www.wiwins.org.
For free tobacco retailer training, visit www.witobaccocheck.org.