Evaluation of an enforcement program to reduce tobacco sales to minors. |
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Authors: | K M Cummings A Hyland T Saunders-Martin J Perla P R Coppola and T F Pechacek |
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Institution: | Department of Cancer Control and Epidemiology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA. mcummings@sc3102.med.buffalo.edu |
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Abstract: | OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated an active enforcement program to increase retailers' compliance with the law prohibiting tobacco sales to minors. METHODS: Tobacco sales to minors were monitored in 319 outlets in 6 pairs of communities in Erie County, New York. One community in each pair was randomly assigned to an enforcement intervention. RESULTS: Retailers' compliance with the law increased from 35% in 1994 to 73% in 1995. However, the change in compliance rates was roughly the same for stores in the enforcement and nonenforcement communities. CONCLUSIONS: Active compliance checking of retail outlets as a strategy to reduce illegal tobacco sales to minors may only be necessary insofar as it contributes to an increase in retailers' perception that the threat of enforcement is real. |
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