Report Card
Enforcement
Texas designated enforcement to the Comptroller in partnership with local law enforcement agencies. To facilitate the effective administration and enforcement the comptroller may also enter into interagency contracts with other state agencies. It should be noted that the involvement of law enforcement in this process is not recommended as it creates an unnecessary touch point for youth and police. Compliance checks are random without a mandated minimum number of annual checks or a minimum decoy age. ID checks are required for any purchaser that appears to be under 30 years of age. The Texas Comptroller’s office will need to instate strong enforcement policies to ensure optimal compliance rates as they move forward with implementing this policy in this state.
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
18.7%
of High School Seniors have vaped in the past 30 days
Tobacco Prevention vs. Industry Marketing
$1 : $167
Texas spends $3.7M in tobacco prevention efforts and the tobacco industry spends $618M in marketing. For every $1 spent in prevention, Big Tobacco spends $167 in marketing.
Tax per pack of cigarettes
$1.41
State Rank: 29
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
$8.85 billion
Information updated Nov 2020. Please contact megan.boelter@tobacco21.org if you have suggested updates.