7 steps to take right now. Before FDA regulations took effect, it was enough to prevent an underage tobacco sale. The thinking was, "is this customer old enough to buy tobacco?" ruled the day. That way of thinking falls short now. Retailers are receiving warning letters from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for selling tobacco to a minor AND for not carding someone who is under 27. That's two violations, not one.

The FDA says it's looking to retailers to help enforce the sweeping tobacco regulations that took effect June 22. "We understand the retailers really are on the front lines and are the key piece to making this a success," said Kathleen Quinn, the acting director of communications for the Center for Tobacco Products at the FDA. "Our approach is they are our partners and we want to equip them with the tools they need."

Top 4 Reasons For Compliance Failure Just about everyone who works behind the counter in a convenience store or a grocery store knows by now that it's against the law to sell tobacco to minors. So why do retailers still fail compliance checks?

Imagine you're at the register and a customer, who doesn't look much older than your kid brother, asks for a pack of cigarettes. You check his ID and sure enough he's too young, so you refuse the sale. The teenager heads outside and starts talking to a person in a parked car. Next thing you know, the person is standing in front of you asking for the same brand the teenager just asked for. Again, you do what you've been trained to do. "I'm not allowed to sell you those cigarettes because it appears you're buying for a minor," you say.