Guam reported a 97.1% compliance rate with tobacco retail laws in 2025, exceeding federal requirements and marking an improvement from the previous year, the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center announced Monday.
The annual, islandwide compliance inspections were conducted by the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center in coordination with the Department of Revenue and Taxation. The inspections are required under the federal Synar Amendment, which mandates enforcement of minimum age laws for tobacco and nicotine products as a condition of receiving federal substance use prevention funds.
Officials said random, unannounced inspections were carried out across all 19 villages. Of the 277 eligible tobacco retailers inspected in 2025, nine violations were documented. Eight retailers were cited for selling tobacco or disposable electronic nicotine delivery system products to minors ages 16 to 20, and one retailer failed to display the required “No Sale Under 21” sign.
All nine establishments received citations from the Department of Revenue and Taxation, with fines ranging from $2,000 to $4,000. Under Guam law, penalties for tobacco violations can reach up to $20,000, depending on prior offenses.
The 2025 compliance rate surpassed the federally mandated minimum of 80% and improved from Guam’s 94.8% compliance rate in 2024. The effort is jointly carried out under the Tobacco Control Act of 1998 and the Youth Protection Act of 2017, in collaboration with the Department of Public Health and Social Services.
GBHWC Director Carissa Pangelinan credited interagency cooperation and expanded outreach efforts, including the Merchant Education Outreach Program launched in January 2025. The program provides year-round, door-to-door education for retailers, along with fact sheets and regulatory guidance.
“These ongoing prevention initiatives help safeguard our youth from prematurely accessing tobacco and ENDS products,” Pangelinan said.
The 2025 Annual Synar Report is available for public review through the GBHWC website.