Holmes County boosts tobacco compliance rate

In 2023, 15% of Ohio high school and middle school students reported current use of a form of tobacco. E-cigarettes are the most commonly used, with 13.7% of Ohio youth reporting current use.

E-cigarettes often contain higher levels of nicotine and can quickly addict young people. Once addicted, it can be difficult to quit and may lead to other health concerns.

Using e-cigarettes and other forms of nicotine can negatively affect a youth’s health. E-cigarette use may increase the risk of lung damage, seizures, nausea and headaches. It also may lead to oral health concerns like tooth decay, gum disease and bad breath.

Youth nicotine use impacts the brain’s development, which continues until age 25. This can affect learning, mood, attention and impulse control.

Using e-cigarettes increases youths' risk of using cigarettes or other forms of tobacco. They also may be more susceptible to addiction to other substances in the future.

An additional concern is the negative impact on adolescent mental health. Youth commonly report using nicotine products to alleviate stress and anxiety. However, nicotine use worsens these symptoms. In fact, Ohio youths with frequent poor mental health had higher rates of current e-cigarette use (24.2%) than students without poor mental health (9.2%).

It is illegal to sell tobacco and nicotine products to anyone under the age of 21. Despite this, youth have access to these products through friends, family, online sources and local retailers.

Research has found it is easier for youth to buy e-cigarettes in stores than cigarettes. Underage purchase attempts for e-cigarettes are 35% less likely to prompt an ID request and 42% more likely to result in a sale. This makes limiting youth access to these products all the more important.

Yearly tobacco compliance checks are conducted in Holmes County to ensure youth access is limited. Of the county’s 22 tobacco retailers, most are convenience stores (45.5%) or discount stores (22.7%). Millersburg has the greatest number of tobacco retailers, with almost a third of all stores (31.8%).

In early 2026 compliance checks were conducted at 18 stores throughout the county. Sixteen stores were compliant, resulting in the county’s overall compliance rate of 88.9%. This is an improvement from the previous year’s compliance rate of 75%, when 1-in-4 stores sold to a minor.

All checked stores received informative letters about the compliance check and its outcome. Noncompliant stores also received resources on the Tobacco 21 law and ID verification.

By checking the age on IDs, local tobacco retailers play a vital part in preventing youth tobacco use. These efforts go a long way to keep addictive products out of the hands of the community’s youth.

For questions or concerns regarding the compliance checks, call Kelly Dremann, tobacco cessation coordinator at the Holmes County General Health District, at 330-674-5035 ext. 224.