On Tuesday, April 26, 2005 the NC Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement, the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services and the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund (HWTF) partnered together to launch the Red Flag Tobacco Enforcement Campaign.

In 2000, the NC Division of Motor Vehicles released a new driver's license and identification card design.  This card design can help retail employees stop the purchase of alcohol and tobacco products by underage persons.

Color-Coded Driver's License & ID Card System

The Red Flag campaign is designed to educate the retail community on North Carolina's color coded driver's license format (red on the license means the holder is underage) in order to promote compliance with prohibitions on selling tobacco to minors.

This new initiative will be rolled out over three years, with year one focusing on bringing down tobacco sale non-compliance rates in ALE districts I (Northeastern counties), VIII (Central Piedmont), and IX (Western).  (For specific counties in Districts I, VIII and IX, see the News Release.)

More Information About the Color-Coded System

What materials are available to retailers?

The campaign collateral listed below was mailed directly to all retail outlets in the targeted districts who sell tobacco products.

• Red Flag informational brochure
• Red Flag poster
• Red Flag branded stickers
• Red Flag buttons (not mailed, but available upon request) 

How should the materials be used?

The accompanying letter encouraged store managers to:

• use the Red Flag materials when training store clerks
• place the materials in visible locations behind the counter in clear view for store clerks.

What other educational opportunities are available for store employees?

ALE can assist store managers in the training of their employees through ALE's "Be A Responsible Seller" (BARS) free training program.

What role are retailers playing in the Red Flag campaign?

• Red Flag has the support of the NC Retail Merchants Association and the NC Association of Convenience Stores.
• Private retail corporations including Food Lion and Lowes Foods are also actively involved in promoting Red Flag.

For additional information about the Red Flag campaign or the BARS training program contact:

Carol Morris, Tobacco Coordinator
NC Alcohol Law Enforcement
919.715.1415
cmorris@ncale.org

Margaret Brake
Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services
919.715.8296
Margaret.Brake@ncmail.net

Click on one of these links for more on the Red Flag Tobacco Enforcement campaign:

More Information About the Color-Coded System

Letter to Retailers (49kb PDF format)

News Release (48kb PDF format)

Radio Interview (1.28mb MP3 format)

NC Youth & Tobacco Facts (58kb PDF format)

Other Links (External Sites)

NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund

Tobacco Reality Unfiltered

National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information

North Carolina Retail Merchants Association

North Carolina Association of Convenience Stores

ABOUT THE ALCOHOL LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION'S TOBACCO EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT
The Alcohol Law Enforcement Division's Tobacco Education and Enforcement program is conducted in partnership with the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services and the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund.  It is also a cooperative effort among community agencies, local law enforcement agencies, merchants, parents and teens. ALE, a division of the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, has 104 agents throughout North Carolina who enforce alcohol and tobacco laws.

ABOUT THE NC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is responsible for ensuring the health, safety and well being of all North Carolinians, providing the human service needs for fragile populations like the mentally ill, deaf, blind and developmentally disabled, and helping poor North Carolinians achieve economic independence. The agency touches the lives of virtually every North Carolinian from birth to old age - prenatal programs, child development programs, and rest home regulations are all part of DHHS charge.

ABOUT THE NC HEALTH AND WELLNESS TRUST FUND
The NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund makes North Carolina stronger, both physically and economically, by funding programs that promote preventive health. Created by the General Assembly in 2000 to allocate a portion of North Carolina's share of the national tobacco settlement, HWTF has invested $127 million to support preventive health initiatives and $78 million to fund a prescription drug assistance program. For more information, please visit www.healthwellnc.org.

« this page last modified 01/27/06 »