Title: Retailer Education to Reduce the Availability of Single Cigarettes
Abstract:Abstract The practice of selling single cigarettes is a reflection of the shifting demographics of smoking as a habit of lower-income Americans. Buying singles is an affordable way to try smoking and ...Abstract The practice of selling single cigarettes is a reflection of the shifting demographics of smoking as a habit of lower-income Americans. Buying singles is an affordable way to try smoking and keep smoking. The purpose of this study was to: (1) determine store and retailer characteristics associated with the availability of single cigarettes in a variety of store types in low-income, ethnic communities, and (2) to describe the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce such availability. Information on availability was collected at four store types: supermarkets, independent markets, gas station/convenience stores, and liquor stores in seven communities of San Diego County, California. Singles were observed to be available in 24.8 percent of stores during the 1990 baseline survey, mostly in liquor stores (39.7 percent) and independent markets (31.4 percent). As part of a larger intervention to reduce youth access to tobacco products, 313 retailers received information regarding laws prohibiting sales of single cigarettes. Post intervention, singles were observed to be available in only 19 percent of stores. The success of the intervention to significantly reduce the availability of singles was attributable to reductions across communities and store types, regardless of community ethnicity or socioeconomic status. Discrepancies between the measures of observed (by volunteer staff) and reported (by store personnel) singles availability are discussed, as are retailers' rationale for selling singles and recommendations for future interventions to reduce such sales.Read More
Publication Year: 1995
Publication Date: 1995-10-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 2
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