Crackdown On Teen Smoking

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Department of Health and Human Services is trying to force states to curb teenage smoking with tough new regulations intended to strengthen a 1992 law that prohibits the sale of tobacco to anyone under 18 years of age. States must provide the government a list of all stores that sell tobacco and develop an HHS-approved plan to conduct surprise inspections to detect illegal sales to minors. Failure to follow the regulations will result in withholding of federal health care and substance abuse grants to the states.