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We Card Awareness Month: Importance and Best Practices

September is widely recognized as We Card Awareness Month, a time when retailers are urged to enhance their employee training and compliance measures regarding age-restricted product sales. This campaign, which is now in its 31st year, primarily focuses on preventing underage purchases of tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products. The We Card Program highlights essential steps retailers can take to ensure responsible retailing and compliance with federal and state regulations.

The Significance of We Card Awareness Month

As enforcement from the FDA continues to intensify, it becomes crucial for retailers to remain vigilant in their responsibility to ensure that age-restricted products do not fall into the hands of minors. The We Card Awareness Month serves as a reminder for retailers across the country to re-evaluate their practices and reinforce a culture of compliance. David Spross, Executive Director of the National Association of Tobacco Outlets, emphasizes that September is an ideal time for retailers to renew their commitment to adhering to all applicable laws regarding age-restricted items.

Five Key Steps for Retailers

During this Awareness Month, retailers are encouraged to concentrate on five critical action items to boost their compliance efforts:

1. Train and Retrain Employees
- It is vital for all employees, whether new hires or seasoned staff, to undergo thorough training that outlines the FDA's requirements as well as any relevant state and local laws. Retailers should take this opportunity to refresh the knowledge of even their most experienced employees, covering practical scenarios involving ID verification and carding.

2. Update Training Tools and Signage
- An important aspect of compliance is ensuring that stores utilize the most effective training materials and signage. Retailers should revisit their current tools and consider refreshing in-store signage, reminders of policies, and employee reference materials to keep compliance top of mind.

3. Measure Performance
- Compliance programs gain strength when they incorporate methods to verify how well employees have been following age-verification policies. Mystery shopping checks or similar assessments can provide insights into whether employees consistently request identification from customers. We Card's ID Check-Up program is one valuable option offering thorough evaluations.

4. Review Procedures Against Best Practices
- We Card recommends a thorough review of the store's operations against their established Guide to Best Practices. This process can help identify any gaps or weaknesses in policy enforcement, employee training, signage, and verification procedures, aiding in strengthening compliance efforts. Retailers can obtain this guide by completing a brief survey.

5. Raise Awareness of Social Sourcing Issues
- Retailers should not only focus on direct sales prevention but also emphasize the issues surrounding social sourcing. Many minors acquire tobacco products via various means, such as borrowing from adults or proxy purchasing. Raising awareness among customers about this problem and promoting messages that discourage adults from providing these products to minors can help combat this issue.

Making Compliance a Priority Year-Round

We Card Awareness Month acts as a timely reminder that effective compliance is an ongoing process that extends well beyond a one-time training session. Retailers must continually assess their training processes, reinforce store policies, evaluate performance, and make necessary adjustments as requirements evolve over time.

With September serving as a natural compliance checkpoint, retailers should pose the question: "Are we doing everything possible to prevent underage sales?" By bolstering training, verifying age, tracking store performance, and addressing social sourcing effectively, retailers can take meaningful action throughout the year, ensuring a comprehensive approach to compliance. For further resources related to training and compliance tools, visit wecard.org.