What Retailers are Doing to Prevent Tobacco Sales to Minors

Abstract

One essential factor in youth tobacco use is a ready source of tobacco products. In May 1994, twelve state Attorneys General formed a working group to study the problem of illegal tobacco sales to minors. The working group met with various segments of the retail community to identify actions that could be taken to effectively prevent tobacco sales to minors. The goal of this research was to determine the extent to which tobacco selling retailers have implemented seven of the key recommendations of a working group of state Attorneys General. To address this goal, a five minute telephone survey of owners/managers of 174 tobacco selling retail outlets in Erie County, New York was conducted in February 1995. Results show that nearly all tobacco-selling retailers have implemented at least some store policy designed to prevent tobacco sales to minors. However, most stores continue to sell tobacco products in self-service displays and few stores with electronic price scanners have programmed them to prompt clerks to ask tobacco-purchasing customers for age identification. Shoplifting of tobacco products appears to be a bigger problem in stores with self-service displays.