We Card focuses on training frontline store employees to boost compliance with federal, state and local laws, and the company is highlighting responsible retailing for age-restricted products with We Card Awareness Month.

"There are lots of changes in laws, regulations and age-restricted products sold at retail. In September, we kick off Awareness Month with a focus on elements that help reduce underage access: effective employee training that ensures retail employees are trained-and-confident and ready to deny underage purchase attempts of tobacco, vaping and nicotine pouch products," said Doug Anderson, president of We Card.

Legal compliance with FDA regulations, federal, state and local laws is an important part of "responsible retailing" of age-restricted products. The FDA regularly conducts store inspections to the tune of 9,000 store visits per month. Simultaneously, state government compliance checks also measure retailers' compliance with state youth access laws.

"Keeping tobacco, vaping products, nicotine pouches and all age-restricted products out of the hands of everyone under 21 years old is our top priority," said Lyle Beckwith, senior vice president of government relations for NACS and a We Card founding board member.

"A well-trained staff helps stores establish a reputation as a responsible retailer in their communities," added Beckwith.

During Awareness Month, We Card strongly encourages retailers to take these five important steps:

1. Train all newly hired employees and re-train veteran employees using comprehensive eLearning training—either store developed or offered through We Card. Make sure to train on FDA requirements of retailers and state law requirements along with role playing practice at "carding" (or ID scanning if that's the store's practice). When employees know what to say as they "card" and deny underage purchase attempts, they can maintain both compliance and serve customers in a customer-service friendly manner.

2. Update in-store signage and training materials to ensure the store communicates to customers (and reminds employees too) of the "We Card" message. It's important for employees to have the latest tools and information to prevent the underage sale of tobacco and vapor products.

3. Gauge employee performance through mystery shopping checks to confirm employees are properly "carding" or scanning IDs. We Card's service, ID Check-Up, uses 21+ year old checkers with an online management reporting portal tool.

4. Compare your store practices against We Card's Guide to Best Practices.

5. Join in on We Card's campaign to raise awareness of the underage access problem of "social sourcing" by ordering a free in-store campaign kit of materials. Research continues to show that underage youth report getting access to tobacco and vaping products nearly 80% of the time through social sourcing, such as bumming, borrowing or getting an adult to purchase (or give) on their behalf.