RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — New statistics show that the sale of tobacco to minors in the U.S. were held near all-time lows last year under a federal-state inspection program intended to curb underage usage.

A federal report issued Tuesday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration says that the rate of retail tobacco sales to underage users nationwide has fallen from about 40 percent in 1997, to 9.1 percent in the last fiscal year.

A U.S. Surgeon General’s report issued last year found that more needs to be done to prevent young Americans from using tobacco, including stricter smoking bans and higher taxes on tobacco products.

According to that report, almost one in five high school-aged teens smokes. That’s down from earlier decades, but the rate of decline has slowed.

Meanwhile, the report suggested mixed news in the area of retailers who sell tobacco products to minors.

In the fiscal year 2012, the nationwide average retailer violation rate increased from the previous year. But, despite that increase, the rate still is the second lowest average weighted rate in the history of the Synar program.

The state of Missouri reported a 10.2% dip in retailer violations. In Kansas, retailer violations were down 7.6%.