An experimental analysis of sociocultural variables in sales of cigarettes to minors

This study assessed the role of age, racial/ethnic group, and gender, as well as that of other sociocultural variables, in minors' access to tobacco. Thirty-six minors attempted to purchase cigarettes once in each of 72 stores (2592 purchase attempts). The minors represented equal numbers of gi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of public health (1971) 1997-05, Vol.87 (5), p.823-826
Main Authors: Klonoff, E A, Landrine, H, Alcaraz, R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Addictive behaviors
Adolescent
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Age
Age Distribution
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Children
Children & youth
Cigarettes
Commerce
Culture
Ethnicity
Female
Gender
Hispanic Americans
Humans
Illegal sales
Male
Medical sciences
Minority & ethnic groups
Minors
Neighborhoods
Nicotiana
Plants, Toxic
Profits
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Public health
Regression analysis
Sales
Sex Distribution
Sociocultural aspects
Socioeconomic Factors
Tobacco
Tobacco smoking
USA
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Summary:This study assessed the role of age, racial/ethnic group, and gender, as well as that of other sociocultural variables, in minors' access to tobacco. Thirty-six minors attempted to purchase cigarettes once in each of 72 stores (2592 purchase attempts). The minors represented equal numbers of girls and boys; 10-year-olds, 14-year-olds, and 16-year-olds; and Whites, Blacks, and Latinos. Equal numbers of stores were in Black, White, and Latino neighborhoods. Older children were more likely than younger ones to be sold cigarettes, and Latino children were more likely than Whites to be sold cigarettes. Older Black children (irrespective of gender) were the single most likely group to be sold cigarettes. Cigarettes were significantly more likely to be sold to children by male than female clerks and in specific sociocultural contexts. Interventions with retailers must address sociocultural variables to improve effectiveness in reducing minors' access to tobacco.
ISSN:0090-0036
1541-0048
DOI:10.2105/AJPH.87.5.823