Tobacco

Documents in PDF format require the Adobe Acrobat Reader®. If you experience problems with PDF documents, please download the latest version of the Reader®.

Synar Amendment: Protecting the Nation’s Youth from Nicotine Addiction

CSAP oversees implementation of the Synar Amendment, which requires States to have laws in place prohibiting the sale and distribution of tobacco products to persons under 18 and to enforce those laws effectively. Across the Nation, States have made great strides in reducing retailer violations of the law as required by the Synar Amendment.

FFY 2008 Annual Synar Reports Youth Tobacco Sales [PDF, 500 KB]
The national weighted average rate of tobacco sales to minors (RVR) as reported by States and the District of Columbia in their FFY 2008 Annual Synar Reports is now 9.9 percent - the lowest RVR in Synar's 12-year history.

Synar Survey Estimation System (SSES)
The Synar Survey Estimation System (SSES) is an optional software tool developed by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) to assist states in estimating and reporting of their annual Synar survey results.

Fact Sheet
This fact sheet provides an overview of the Synar Amendment and its implementing regulation, including requirements of the regulation, penalties for non-compliance, evaluation results and recent accomplishments.

Retail Outlet Guidance Documents
Guidance documents are available for download on: performing inspections of retail tobacco outlets, implementing the Synar Amendment, and training teen inspectors on how to conduct tobacco sales compliance checks.

State Synar Rate Tables [PDF, 363 KB]
These State data contain reported and targeted non-compliance rates.

For more information about the Synar requirements of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, contact tobacco@samhsa.gov.