Several communities have trained TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures) facilitators who are available to offer their services to bars and restaurants. TIPS is a program that provides practical and effective training to individuals working in the hospitality industry, enabling them to prevent over-consumption, drunk driving, and other alcohol-related incidents. To obtain more information on the availability of TIPS facilitators in your area, you can reach out to your local coalition. They can provide you with details on how to contact and engage these facilitators to improve the safety and well-being of your patrons and community. For more information, get in contact with your local coalition.
The East Bay Regional Coalition is an organization committed to reducing underage sales of alcohol and tobacco products. One of its main objectives is to provide resources to retailers who sell these products, which includes education and training to follow legal regulations and best practices. Retailers who work with the coalition receive guidance on the importance of following the law and implementing policies to prevent underage sales. They also receive signage to indicate their commitment to this policy. Alcohol retailers specifically receive training to ensure their servers and sellers are using the best practices to avoid serving underage customers or over-serving adults. The East Bay Regional Coalition’s goal is to create a safe and responsible retail environment for both the community and the retailers themselves.
Tobacco Signs
The sale of tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, hookah and ENDS products, to individuals under the age of 21 is now illegal at both the federal and state level. This is consistent with federal legislation that took effect on December 20, 2019. To ensure compliance with the law, all tobacco and ENDS product retailers are required to display specific signs in public view at each cash register, vending machine, or any other location where tobacco products are sold. These signs are intended to inform customers that the sale of tobacco products to individuals under 21 years of age is prohibited and that the retailer will check IDs to verify the age of the purchaser. To help retailers in the East Bay community comply with this requirement, the East Bay Regional Coalition provides informative signs to display in their stores. By displaying these signs, retailers can avoid legal consequences and also help to prevent the sale of tobacco products to underage individuals, thus promoting a healthier and safer community. For more information, visit bhddh.ri.gov/tobacco.
FDA Retailer Trainings
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act) is a law that sets forth regulations and requirements for retailers who sell tobacco products. In order to help retailers better understand their responsibilities under the act and comply with the law, the FDA Retailer Training and Enforcement Program offers a range of resources. These resources include webinars, training videos, and guidance documents that educate retailers and their employees about the Tobacco Control Act and tobacco regulations. By providing these resources, the FDA aims to help retailers maintain compliance with the law, avoid fines and penalties, and create a safer environment for their customers. The webinars, training videos, and guidance documents are designed to be easy to understand and accessible to all retailers, regardless of their size or location. By utilizing these resources, retailers can ensure that they are in compliance with the Tobacco Control Act and can provide their customers with safe and legally compliant tobacco products.