Tobacco is one of the most addictive drugs, even more addictive than heroin. 

And, if one begins smoking at a younger age, a long-term addiction is a likely result. To help cut down on the number of teen smokers, the Napa County Tobacco Control Program — a program of Community Action of Napa Valley — has a yearly “Youth Purchase Survey.”

This survey essentially “tests” local vendors to see if they card teenagers when they attempt to buy cigarettes. The survey works by sending in underage decoys to buy cigarettes, if the store clerk doesn’t card, the store fails.

During this year’s survey, which included 53 stores from all over Napa County, only three stores sold to underage clients. This figures out to a sale rate of 5.7 percent, the lowest sale rate in six years. Last year, the sales rate was 9.6 percent rate.

The program’s goal is to have a sale rate of 5 percent.

 Manuel Cordero, of the Tobacco Control Program, said the improvement has been spurred by an outreach effort to train merchants and employees and warn them about the fines they would be responsible for if they sell tobacco to minors.

“The employees, owners and managers are more conscientious about asking for an I.D. and training their employees,” Cordero said. “We are working close with the stores and being very friendly, we have developed good relationships with most of the people who work at the stores, we respect each other.”

Consequences for selling to minors are harsh. If a store is caught selling tobacco to a minor just one time, the owners could be fined $500, the second time they could be fined up to $1,000 and the third time the store could lose its license to sell tobacco products. Cordero said that no store in Napa has ever lost its license to sell tobacco for selling it to minors.

Sidebar: 8-year smoker quits the habit at 21