BECKLEY, W.VA. — In an effort to combat underage tobacco use, Governor Jim Justice joined with the West Virginia Oil Marketers & Grocers Association (OMEGA) and the West Virginia Wholesalers Association to proclaim September “We Card Awareness Month”.
The initiative is designed to encourage all retailers to successfully identify and prevent age-restricted product sales to minors.
“West Virginia law prohibits the sale of tobacco and other age-restricted products to persons under the age of 18,” said Traci Nelson, president of OMEGA and executive director of the West Virginia Wholesalers Association. “OMEGA and the West Virginia Wholesalers Association – organizations representing the companies that sell these products – want to make sure that they don’t get in the hands of kids.”
In the Governor’s proclamation, he states, “If we work together, West Virginia will benefit from a responsible retailing community that successfully prevents tobacco and other age-restricted products sales to minors.”
The West Virginia Wholesalers Association and OMEGA strongly encourage retailers to train or re-train employees by taking advantage of We Card’s award-winning training courses offered online through We Card’s eLearning Center at www.wecard.org or through licensing to retailers and other organizations.
Nelson said, “Trained retail employees are confident and prepared to identify and deny underage attempts to purchase tobacco, e-cigarettes or other age-restricted products. We Card Awareness Month helps re-enforce retailers’ daily efforts and highlights the services and tools We Card avails to help them complete it”.
For additional information, contact Traci Nelson at (304) 343-5500, or visit the Web site at www.Omegawv.com.