Wyoming Synar Inspections

As part of Wyoming’s efforts to keep minors from buying tobacco products, the Department of Health contracts with the Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center at the University of Wyoming to conduct what is known as the Synar inspections. In 1992, the United States Congress enacted the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration Reorganization Act, which includes an amendment (section 1926) aimed at decreasing youth access to tobacco. This Synar Amendment requires states to adopt and enforce state laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco to youth under the age of 18. To be in compliance, states must also conduct annual, random, and unannounced inspections to ensure compliance with the state law and develop a strategy for achieving a retailer violation rate (RVR) of less than 20.0%. Since 2003, the Wyoming Department of Health, Public Health Division, has contracted with the Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center (WYSAC) at the University of Wyoming to conduct Wyoming’s annual Synar Inspection Study to assess tobacco retailers’ compliance with the law.