View as Webpage Para la versión en Español por favor haga marque aquí. The Responsible Connecticut Retailer November 16, 2023 | Issue 16

The Great American Smokeout

Today – November 16, 2023 – is the Great American Smokeout. People across Connecticut will join thousands around the country to take their first step TODAY to quit smoking, vaping, or using other tobacco products. The American Cancer Society, Connecticut’s Commit to Quit program, and VapeFreeCT offer free resources and support to help people stop using these products. As a retailer, you can support them and your community by checking the photo IDs of everyone who buys tobacco products and e-cigarettes, not only today but every day. What you do matters!

New Signs Required! What Cigarette Retailers Need to Know

A Federal Court has ordered tobacco companies to warn people about the dangers of cigarette use. In response, tobacco companies have created signs that alert customers to these dangers, which include addiction, disease, and death. Retailers must post signs in their stores if they (1) sell cigarettes and (2) have merchandising agreements with Altria, Philip Morris USA, R.J. Reynolds, or ITG Brands tobacco companies. If you need signs, contact your tobacco distributor or click here to print your own. Signs must be posted in English and Spanish from now until June 30, 2025. The signs will be either 144 or 348 square inches and should be posted in highly visible places. Spot checks will be done by independent auditors to make sure signs are posted.

Selling Cannabis Products Safely and Legally

As of October 1, 2023, high-potency hemp derived products (high-THC hemp products) and synthetic cannabinoids have been reclassified as cannabis under state law and can only be sold by licensed cannabis establishments. This was designed to reduce the sale of high-potency THC hemp products and synthetic cannabinoid products that have been found outside the state’s regulated cannabis marketplace, which were sometimes packaged to resemble common snack food and were available for sale without age restrictions (see images above). It is important for business owners to review the labels of all products containing THC to determine if any items are high-THC hemp products or if they contain synthetic cannabinoids. Retailers without a Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) cannabis license must remove all high-THC hemp products and products containing synthetic cannabinoids from their shelves and stop all sales of these products. In Connecticut, a high-THC hemp product is a product that contains a total THC of more than one milligram per serving. More information on high-THC can be found here. Retailers who do not hold a cannabis license issued by the DCP cannot sell or offer cannabis products. Please see their recent press release here. Learn more about the health effects of cannabis and addiction prevention at Be In The Know CT. For more information about adult use cannabis laws, click Adult-Use Cannabis in Connecticut.

Available Materials

The Tobacco Merchant & Community Education Steering Committee has signs and other materials available to help retailers tell customers to have their IDs ready when buying tobacco products and e-cigarettes. If you would like to order any of the items below, contact Connecticut Clearinghouse at [email protected].

Have Your Voice Heard and Make an Impact

Join other retailers and state partners for the next meeting of the Tobacco Merchant & Community Education Steering Committee on January 9, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. The meeting will occur on Zoom. Here is the meeting link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82079372721. Add the meeting to your Google or Outlook calendar.

Tobacco Merchant & Community Education Steering Committee Meeting LOCATION https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82079372721 DATE AND TIME 01/09/24 1:00pm - 01/09/24 2:30pm Yes Maybe No

Statewide Compliance Inspections are Under Way Remember: 7 Days a Week

Checking Connecticut Drivers' Licenses: A Helpful Tip Retailers can make a preliminary verification of age by looking at the orientation of the customer’s driver’s license (vertical vs. horizontal) when selling tobacco products and/or e-cigarettes.

Vertical driver’s license Means that the customer is under 21 years old – or was under 21 years old when the license was issued. Retailers should still check that the photo matches the customer and that the date of birth places the customer under 21 years of age. If the customer is under 21, do not sell tobacco products or e-cigarettes to them. Horizontal driver’s license Means the customer is 21 years old or older. However, retailers should still check to make sure the person buying tobacco products or e-cigarettes matches the picture on the license – that he/she is the owner of the license and is not using someone else’s ID. If the person matches the photo on the license and there is no evidence of tampering, then the retailer can safely make the sale.

Take the Free Online Training Today!

Just a reminder that there is a free online training called, Tobacco and Electronic Cigarette Sales: Do the Right Thing. The training gives store owners, managers, clerks, and the general public key information about Connecticut’s laws around buying and selling cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and other tobacco products. You can take the training here. Contact Us For any feedback, questions, or new notice sign requests, click here to contact us or call 1-800-232-4424.

FDA Resources and Tools

Free FDA Trainings The U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products offers a series of webinars on federal tobacco regulations to provide compliance education and information to retailers. For the latest webinars, visit their website: FDA Tobacco Compliance Webinars | FDA.

Connecticut Clearinghouse | [ctclearinghouse.org]