Fewer local stores were caught selling vapor products to minors last year compared with 2017, according to the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department.
In 2017, 21.2 percent of stores in Lancaster County failed compliance checks conducted by the health department, the Lincoln Police Department and the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office. Last year, just 5.3 percent failed.
"Our local retailers have done a great job in significantly reducing the rate of vapor product sales to those under age 18," Lincoln Police Capt. Jason Stille said in a news release.
Local agencies started vapor compliance checks in 2017. State law has long prohibited the sale of tobacco products to minors; a 2014 law added a ban on selling vapor products to minors.
The sale of non-vapor tobacco products to minors increased from 5.9 to 8.7 percent from 2017 to 2018.