Report Card
Enforcement
Delaware’s statewide Tobacco Retail License fee of $50 is too low and it is unclear if it covers enforcement costs. Their Department of Safety and Homeland Security is the designated enforcement agency that conducts one compliance check per retailer per year with non-compliant retailers risking suspension or revocation of their license. ID checks are required for any purchaser that appears to be under the age of 30; however, penalties placed on “Person” make the responsibility not entirely on the retailer.
Tobacco Retail License
- Comprehensive statewide Tobacco Retail License covering all tobacco products
- Multiple Tobacco Retail Licenses that cover all tobacco products
- Tobacco Retail License only covers cigarettes and NOT e-cigarettes
- No statewide Tobacco Retail License
Preemption
- No preemption
- Preempted from raising the sales age
- Preempted from creating a Tobacco Retail License
All public health is local. Often Big Tobacco works to add preemption to statewide tobacco control bills so cities and counties are unable to enact laws that better protect the public.
High School Vaping Rate
13.6%
of High School Seniors have vaped in the past 30 days
Tobacco Prevention vs. Industry Marketing
$1 : $5
Delaware spends $7.1M in tobacco prevention efforts and the tobacco industry spends $38M in marketing. For every $1 spent in prevention, Big Tobacco spends $5 in marketing.
Tax per pack of cigarettes
$2.10
E-cigarette tax: $0.03
State Rank: 15
Higher tobacco taxes are associated with decreases in tobacco use and increases in cessation and lower youth initiation.
Annual State Healthcare Costs due to Tobacco Use
$532 million
Information updated Nov 2020. Please contact megan.boelter@tobacco21.org if you have suggested updates.