This month, our team proudly completed Synar Education Visits for 72 tobacco retailers in Waterford, part of our ongoing efforts to keep tobacco and nicotine products out of the hands of youth under 21.

These visits are a key part of our Synar Compliance initiative, which helps ensure that retailers are aware of — and aligned with — Michigan laws that prohibit the sale of tobacco and related substances to minors. Each visit offers us a chance to do an environmental scan of the store’s tobacco product offerings, check for proper signage, and, most importantly, educate store owners and cashiers on how to properly check IDs and avoid illegal sales.

As part of our visits, we:

• Filled out a short questionnaire to record our findings,
• Provided digital birthdate clocks to make ID checking easier,
• Offered information about free ID-check education courses, and
• Shared ideas on how we can partner with retailers in the future to support healthy communities.

Celebrating Responsible Retailers

Since we conducted compliance checks with many Waterford-area tobacco and alcohol retailers in Fall 2024, we wanted to recognize those going above and beyond. We were excited to award special certificates of recognition to 32 retailers who passed compliance checks and did not sell to minors. These certificates are a small way to say thank you for taking youth access prevention seriously.

Why This Matters

Tobacco use remains a serious health risk, especially for young people. By working directly with retailers, we can reduce the availability of harmful substances, support our local businesses with the tools and training they need, and build a healthier Waterford for everyone.

We're grateful for the positive response we’ve received from so many store owners and cashiers. Your commitment is helping make a real difference. If you're a retailer and want to learn more about compliance education or partnering with us, please reach out — we’d love to work with you!