Tobacco Documents Online

r American Medical Association Phvsu ian, dedu•ated to the health of America News Release EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11:45 a.cn. (ET), TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1994 Media Advisory: Elizabeth A. Klonoff PhD, from California State University-San Bernardino, can be reached through 909/880-5584. MINORS IN MINORITY NEIGHBORI(OODS SOLD SINGLE CIGARETTES f Ialf of all stores surveyed sold illegal singles; 71 percent of stores in minority neighorhoods NEW ~'ORK -- In the face of increasing per-pack costs, some California convenience stores have been selling single cigarettes -- most likely to minors in minority neighborhoods -- apparently in an effort to keep the product affordable to their customers, according to an article in this week's Journal ~)/ the .•lmerrcan .tfeclical Associativn. These sales occur despite state laws banning the sale of cigarettes to minors or sales in any way other than a sealed, properly labeled package. "The cost of cigarettes has increased in recent years, particularly in California," writes Elizabeth hlonoff, PhD, from the Behavioral Iiealth Institute, California State University-San Bernardino, with colleagues. She presented her information at a media briefing sponsored here today by the AMA and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "Although increased cost may not deter committed smokers, it may result in a decrease in smoking among minors and economically disadvantaged casual smokers ... The availability of these inexpensive, accessible tobacco products may facilitate experimentation in adolescents and may permit intermittent smoking by adults who otherwise might quit because of the high cost of a pack of cigarettes." 0 ~ ~ --more-- ~ 515 North State Street ~ Chicago, Illinois 60610 W 312 464 4430 ~

Page 2 (SINGLE CIGARETTES) In the studv, one adult and one minor separately atte= i to purchase a gle cigarette from ~-ach ot' 206 retail outlets (1' ~ liquor stores, 31 chain con% ~~ce stores, 22 c..venience stores with gas ~,tations, 16 genc:ral Q ~Mcnce stores. 16 mom-and-pop grocery stores, and four others) in middle- snd lo%krer-middle-class areas of San 13ernardino and Riverside counties, Calif. "One hundred one (49.1 percent) of the stores sold single cigarettes," they found. "Singles were sold ;ignificantlv more often to minors than to adults." Of the 101 stores, 93.1 percent sold singles to minors, compared with 59.4 percent for adults. Singles ~~ere generall< pt somewhere behind the counter, although 31 stores displayed them openly. Price varied ~~..n purchaser's age, hut minors paid an average of 20.7 cents per cigarette compared with 18 cents for adults. The •earchers ri_ that re, -,rs mav believe that adults can afford a pack and so refuse to sell thcn, s single cigar. ;~. Minors, however, may be perceived as unable to afford a pack, and retailers then mav decide that it is better to sell a single cigarette than to make no sale at all. "Sin~les were least likelv to be sold in white neighborhoods (29.2 percent of visits), more likely to he sold in integrated neighborhoods (38.6 percent of visits), and most likely to be sold in minority neighborhoods (54.2 percent of visits)," they say, "Minors ~xere able to purchase single cigarettes during 34.4 percent of the visits to white neighborhoods but co• -.1 do so during 71.2 perc 'zt of the visits to minority neighborhoods; adults vvere able to make simiiar purchases during 24 percent of the visits to' white neighborhoods and 37.3 , .. ^„rC°aS '.;I . ~ +'i~its to r~ilrlc?r'i~t ~ieisTtthornn; til~

Page 3 (SINGLE CIGARETTES) The authors say: "Thus, anv legislation that increases tobacco costs should include merchant education, a ban on single-cigarette sales, and increased enforcement of all tobacco access laws .. additionally, specific efforts should he directed toward the development of culturally sensitive interventions to decrease illegal sales in minority neighborhoods." # For more information, contact the :1ititA's Paul Tarini at 312/464-5945.