A National Survey of Public Support for Restrictions on Youth Access to Tobacco

• Published in: The Journal of school health 1994-10, Vol.64 (8), p.314-317
• Main Authors: Bailey, William J., Crowe, James W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Advertising; Aged; Child; Children; Data Collection - methods; Female; Fines (Penalties); Health Behavior; Humans; Legal Procedures; Male; Middle Aged; National Surveys; Nursing; Prevention; Public Health; Public Opinion; Public Policy; Smoking; Smoking - legislation & jurisprudence; Smoking and youth; Smoking cessation; Smoking cessation programs; Smoking Prevention; Taxes; Telephone; Telephone Surveys; Tobacco; Tobacco Industry; Youth smoking
• ISSN: 0022-4391; 1746-1561
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.1994.tb03318.x

A national telephone survey was conducted to measure public support for seven proposals to restrict youth access to tobacco products, including increases in the cigarette excise tax. A random digit dialing survey, using computer‐assisted telephone interviews and a two‐stage Mitofsky‐Waksberg design, was used to generate and replace telephone numbers and to select individuals from within households. More than 94% of respondents believed cigarette smoking by children and adolescents to be a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem. Most respondents expressed support for all the proposed measures to restrict youth access to tobacco products (fines for sellers, fines for youthful violators, licensing of all tobacco vendors, restrictions on cigarette vending machines, ban on sponsorship of youth‐oriented events, and ban on all tobacco advertising), and for increases in the cigarette excise tax.