The North Dakota Department of Human Services reported Friday that tobacco sales to minors decreased this past year. Violations fell to 5.8 percent in the annual random survey of tobacco retailers.

Department research analyst Elizabeth Cunningham said 56 more compliance checks were conducted than the previous year, and there were 16 violations statewide, two fewer than last year.

She said officials at the North Dakota Department of Human Services are pleased with the findings.

Minors working under the supervision of adults made 277 attempts to purchase tobacco products from licensed vendors across the state, Cunningham said. Minors were instructed to answer honestly if asked about their age.

Records show that North Dakota has made significant progress addressing the sale of tobacco to minors. Prior to 2000, the state's noncompliance rate exceeded 50 percent.

Federal law requires states that receive federal Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant funding to conduct the annual scientific survey of licensed tobacco retail sites. If violations exceed 20 percent, states risk losing up to 40 percent of the block grant funding.

Last year, the North Dakota Department of Human Services received $5.1 million from the block grant. The funds were used for public substance abuse treatment through the department's eight regional human service centers.

Survey results are available online on the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Division's publication page at http://www.nd.gov/dhs/info/pubs/abuse.html.