Stay Ahead of Increasing Nicotine and Tobacco Stings
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
By David Gaudet
Across the country, enforcement agencies are ramping up stings for nicotine and other tobacco-category products—and the penalties are steeper than ever.
In Tennessee, for example, failing a vapor sting carries a $2,500 fine on the first offense. A second offense can result in a $20,000 fine and license revocation. Similarly, in Mankato, MN, fines for failing a nicotine sting were recently increased by 400%.
With the rapid growth of nicotine pouch sales, enforcement is paying closer attention to compliance. That’s why we’ve added Nicotine Pouch Compliance Shops to our menu of visit types—helping retailers ensure their teams are prepared for every possible check.
Our customers take a proactive approach to protecting their business. They follow two key steps:
- Monthly Compliance Shops – Every store participates, ensuring consistent monitoring and training.
- Rotating Visit Types – Alcohol, Tobacco, Vape, and Nicotine Pouch visits are rotated to cover all areas of a store’s carding policy.
This approach not only strengthens compliance practices but also safeguards licenses against costly mistakes. With fines climbing and enforcement growing, consistency is the best protection.
The surge in nicotine stings is a timely reminder for retailers: regular compliance shops aren’t optional—they’re essential.
Learn more about how we can help your stores stay compliant and protect your licenses at barsprogram.com.
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