Tobacco Prevention Program - Youth Volunteer Opportunities

A successful tobacco prevention program includes youth involvement and our program is always looking for more youth volunteers. Youth volunteers help:

The Tobacco Prevention Program welcomes youth ages 15-16 to volunteer to conduct tobacco compliance checks. Youth volunteers will be trained and supervised at all times during this activity. There is no minimum requirement of hours you may volunteer.

Youth volunteers must:

Provide parent or guardian consent
Have or obtain a state-issued ID/driver's permit/license
Be willing and able to ask for a tobacco product
Be willing and able to testify in administrative hearings if needed
Be willing to allow photos and/or dialog to be used as evidence

What is a compliance check?

A tobacco compliance check is way to test tobacco retailer. It involves sending underage minors into various establishments where tobacco is sold to attempt to purchase cigarettes or other tobacco products.

Tobacco Prevention Program employees drive youth volunteers to various tobacco retailers throughout King County. Youth then enter the establishment and attempt to purchase a tobacco product. The interaction between the youth and store clerk is always closely supervised by our attending staff.

Youth Volunteers must be trained prior to conducting any compliance checks. Youth are not asked to do checks until they feel comfortable and our supervising staff feels comfortable with their understanding of the protocols.

Retailers that refuse to sell tobacco to our underage minors are congratulated following the check. If an illegal sale is made, the Public Health employee follows up with the clerk/retailer with educational information and notice that the Washington State Liquor Control Board will follow up with them about the violation.

Why are checks important?

photo evidence during compliance check activity Compliance checks are conducted in an effort to reduce youth access to tobacco products. By refusing the sale of tobacco to minors, clerks make it more difficult for young people to access tobacco and reduce the chance that they will start to smoke. Compliance checks are conducted with an adult escort from the Tobacco Prevention Program and an underage volunteer. This is the only way we can check retailers and ensure they are not selling tobacco to minors.

The tobacco industry continues to target young people because they constantly are losing customers from quitting smoking or by dying. The average smoker starts smoking at 12 years old. If we can stop young people from smoking before the legal age of 18, they are less likely to ever start using tobacco.

Tobacco is a very addictive drug. Symptoms of addiction can appear in young kids within weeks or days after occasional smoking begins. Smoking appears to be related to the use of other chemical substances such as marijuana, alcohol, crack, and cocaine.

The federal government requires compliance checks to be conducted and if states fall below 80 percent compliant, they may lose federal substance abuse funds.

How do I get involved?

Youth operatives must:

Have a current WA State ID
Be 15-16 years of age
Have parent or guardian consent

Four easy steps to becoming a volunteer:

1.	Download the Youth Training Packet (PDF) and Consent Form (PDF).
2.	Read through the packet and have your parent or guardian sign the consent form.
3.	Go to the Department of Licensing to get your ID.
4.	Call the Tobacco Prevention Program at 206-296-7613 to schedule your training.