INDIANA— Indiana health and law enforcement officials are making it easier for tobacco retailers and the public to monitor store compliance with underage sales laws through an interactive online mapping tool.
The online tool tracks all licensed tobacco retailers across the state and displays the results of their two most recent youth tobacco compliance checks. The map combines data from both state-level Indiana State Excise Police (ISEP) inspections and federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspections.
According to state officials, the database is updated monthly with data from the previous month’s compliance checks. This continuous integration provides business owners, managers, and community members with a transparent view of how local establishments are performing.
Tracking a Retailer’s Record
The interactive portal provides data regarding whether a store successfully verified age requirements or failed an undercover verification attempt. During these operations, ISEP officers are typically accompanied by youth participants aged 16 to 20 who attempt to purchase tobacco or e-liquid products.
The state provides specific categories on the map to help users filter through different performance statuses, including:
- Passed: Stores that successfully passed an inspection within the last 12 months.
- Failed: Locations that failed a compliance check within the last 12 months, which can result in administrative violations and charges filed by the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission (ATC) Prosecutor.
- Recently Passed: Retailers that passed their latest check but had failed a previous inspection.
A Push for Compliance
State officials emphasized that the map is intended to keep retailers informed of their performance and to serve as a reminder of their role in preventing underage addiction. Retailers are legally obligated to ask for identification every time a customer attempts to purchase age-restricted tobacco or vaping materials.
Business owners and operators can access the tracking database and view their specific store records directly by visiting the Indiana Tobacco Inspection Map hosted on the official Indiana state government portal in.gov.
