Retailer opinions about and compliance with family smoking prevention and tobacco control act point of sale provisions: a survey of tobacco retailers.

Kurt M. Ribisl,Sherry L. Emery,John C. Scott,Susan Ennett,Heathe Luz McNaughton Reyes,Shyanika W. Rose

doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2231-2

Abstract

BackgroundThe objectives of this study were to document retailer opinions about tobacco control policy at the point of sale (POS) and link these opinions with store level compliance with sales and marketing provisions of the Tobacco Control Act.MethodsThis study conducted interviews of 252 tobacco retailers in three counties in North Carolina and linked their opinions with in-person observational audit data of their stores’ compliance with POS policies. We conducted analyses examining retailer factors associated with noncompliance using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) controlling for individual, store, neighborhood, and county factors.ResultsOver 90 % of retailers support minors’ access provisions and a large minority (over 40 %) support graphic warnings and promotion bans. Low levels of support were found for a potential ban on menthol cigarettes (17 %). Store noncompliance with tobacco control policies was associated with both more reported retailer barriers to compliance and less support for POS policies. Awareness of and source of information about tobacco control regulations were not associated with compliance when accounting for neighborhood and county characteristics.ConclusionsRetailers expressed some support for a wide range of POS policies. Advocates and government agencies tasked with enforcement can work with retailers as stakeholders to enhance support, mitigate barriers, and promote compliance with tobacco control efforts at the point of sale.

Highlights

The objectives of this study were to document retailer opinions about tobacco control policy at the point of sale (POS) and link these opinions with store level compliance with sales and marketing provisions of the Tobacco Control Act
The current study sought to understand how retailer opinions may be associated with compliance through interviews with 252 retailers whose stores had been audited for compliance with Tobacco Control Act POS provisions [4]
This study suggests that store noncompliance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) POS provisions is significantly related to both barriers and lack of support for POS provisions among retailers

Summary

Introduction

The objectives of this study were to document retailer opinions about tobacco control policy at the point of sale (POS) and link these opinions with store level compliance with sales and marketing provisions of the Tobacco Control Act. Rose et al BMC Public Health (2015) 15:884 violation rate of any of 12 provisions of the Tobacco Control Act [4]. Taken together these studies suggest that it may be possible to engage tobacco retailers as stakeholders in tobacco control efforts, rather than adversaries. Engaging with tobacco retailers in order to ensure implementation of Tobacco Control Act policies requires an understanding of the factors associated with retailer compliance. The current study sought to understand how retailer opinions may be associated with compliance through interviews with 252 retailers whose stores had been audited for compliance with Tobacco Control Act POS provisions [4]. We assess four constructs related to Mazmanian and Sabatier’s Framework of Analysis for Policy Implementation [8, 9]: (1) retailer barriers to complying with regulations, (2) awareness of policy,

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion