--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: Frontlines of Underage Access Prevention: A Nationwide Blueprint for Collaborative Responsibility image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7bab6d5f3b841ca2/6a4b5233d4269e09b59cd514/F063B00817954F7EBE439F875D8F6188.png?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- # Frontlines of Underage Access Prevention: A Nationwide Blueprint for Collaborative Responsibility  Every year, convenience stores across the United States conduct millions of age-verified transactions for restricted products. But what most consumers never see is the broader infrastructure of training, technology, compliance standards, regulation, and manufacturer support that make these restrictions work. Congressional action to raise the federal minimum age for the sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21—signed into law in December 2019—was a major driver in reducing youth initiation. This change to the minimum age was implemented by local infrastructure involving collective efforts by manufacturers, retail associates, corporate field teams, regulatory agencies, and advocacy organizations—united by a shared commitment to keeping nicotine products out of the hands of anyone under 21. Philip Morris International’s U.S. Businesses (PMI U.S.) and the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) are proud that our respective organizations have helped build and support this infrastructure for underage access prevention alongside partners throughout the supply chain and retail space. This collaboration has made significant progress: youth tobacco use is at historic lows while, at the same time, we are moving toward a more regulated market for adult consumers, especially through the availability of science-backed smoke-free products. Nevertheless, as technology, science, and culture rapidly evolve, progress to improve public health through this regulated marketplace could stall without sustained vigilance and investment in the systems that protect it. We believe it is necessary to redouble our efforts to ensure that the industry continues to make progress in our shared commitments to America’s consumers, families, and communities. ## Building Prevention Into Business Operations The law is clear: No one under 21 should use tobacco or nicotine products. At PMI U.S., we have embedded our longstanding commitment to underage access prevention into a comprehensive 10-point approach that touches every aspect of the business. The company's marketing code sets out responsible practices including measures designed to help prevent those below the legal age of 21 from accessing our products. For example, advertisements feature only individuals 35 and older. We don’t pay social media influencers to endorse our products. Every branded website uses rigorous third-party age verification systems. But manufacturer controls represent only one part of the prevention ecosystem. The critical execution point remains the retail counter, where trained store associates are on the front lines to do age verification and control sales for adults 21+. Technology solutions like TruAge®—developed by the convenience store industry through NACS—provide retailers with the digital tools needed to execute these verification requirements efficiently and accurately. By combining PMI U.S.'s prevention standards with industry-built technology designed specifically for convenience store operations by NACS, we create a comprehensive system where policy, practice, and innovation work together at the point of sale. ## Technology Meets Training at the Counter When your business model depends on getting underage prevention right, you invest accordingly. PMI U.S. maintains a field team of approximately 750 people across 48 states who work directly with retail partners. These team members make roughly 840,000 store visits annually across more than 120,000 locations, from major national chains to independent neighborhood shops. These visits serve multiple purposes, including supporting retailers with training and education resources, ensuring proper age verification signage is available and displayed at every point of sale, and conducting brand compliance checks to maintain consistent standards. This approach has achieved measurable results: through the company's 21+U commercial training and advocacy program, compliance with the company’s global standards for trade communication, education, and point-of-sale signage exceeds 90 percent across the retail network. The National Association of Convenience Stores brings additional resources to this effort, including through collaborations with We Card, a non-profit program that has provided educational and training services for responsible retail practices for 30 years, where PMI U.S. also serves on the Advisory Council. This proactive approach reflects our history of anticipating prevention needs. In 2014, before comprehensive federal age restrictions existed for e-cigarettes, NACS announced that convenience stores should treat these emerging products as age-restricted and apply the same verification procedures as traditional tobacco products—demonstrating that industry leadership anticipates challenges rather than waiting for mandates. Technology can also enhance retail controls. TruAge®, a digital age verification system in which PMI U.S. serves as a founding board member and stakeholder, offers retailers sophisticated tools at no cost. The system helps detect fake IDs that might fool visual inspection and streamlines the verification process, reducing friction while maintaining security. TruAge® protects consumer privacy by capturing only four data points—just enough to verify age without creating unnecessary exposure of personal information. The system also enables retailers to set volume limits, adding an additional layer of responsible sales practices. When retailers have better tools, compliance becomes easier to achieve and sustain. These are practical solutions deployed where it matters most: at the register, in real time. ## A Model for Collaborative Responsibility The infrastructure we have built together is a testament to what coordinated action can achieve. Manufacturers bring resources, field presence, and technological investment. Retailers provide daily execution and local knowledge. Retail support organizations like NACS offer training frameworks and best practices, and develop verification solutions. Regulatory agencies establish standards and conduct oversight. Each participant contributes essential capabilities necessary for success. And this collaborative model offers a blueprint beyond nicotine products to encompass other age-restricted categories. The protocols, training systems, and technologies collectively developed for tobacco prevention strengthen safeguards for alcohol and other age-restricted items. Investment in one area creates spillover benefits across the entire ecosystem of underage protection. Yet prevention systems must adapt continuously to remain effective. Only through a comprehensive, collaborative approach can we sustain and advance the progress we’ve made. Standing together on those frontlines, we are demonstrating what responsibility requires: the commitment to build systems designed that enable compliance in every community and transaction. [](https://www.pmi.com/us/corporate-citizenship-and-news) [Learn More](https://www.pmi.com/us/corporate-citizenship-and-news) Frontlines of Underage Access Prevention: A Nationwide Blueprint for Collaborative Responsibility ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/philip-morris-international-us/frontlines-of-underage-access-prevention-a-nationwide-blueprint-for/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/philip-morris-international-us/frontlines-of-underage-access-prevention-a-nationwide-blueprint-for/"},"headline":"Frontlines of Underage Access Prevention: A Nationwide Blueprint for Collaborative Responsibility","datePublished":"2026-07-02T19:07:53.668Z","dateModified":"2026-07-02T19:07:45.797Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/philip-morris-international-us/frontlines-of-underage-access-prevention-a-nationwide-blueprint-for/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/philip-morris-international-us/frontlines-of-underage-access-prevention-a-nationwide-blueprint-for/","name":"Frontlines of Underage Access Prevention: A Nationwide Blueprint for Collaborative Responsibility"}}]}] ```