L. Jason et al., REDUCING THE ILLEGAL SALES OF CIGARETTES TO MINORS - ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE ENFORCEMENT SCHEDULES, Journal of applied behavior analysis, 29(3), 1996, pp. 333-344
The majority of adolescent smokers are able to purchase cigarettes eve
n though laws prohibit the sale of cigarettes to miners (Radecki & Zdu
nich, 1993). The present study focused on merchant licensing, civil pe
nalties, and monitoring of merchant behavior. Several different schedu
les of enforcement in the city of Chicago were evaluated to determine
the optimal schedules to reduce the sale of cigarettes to miners in a
major metropolitan area. Schedules of 2, 4, and 6 months were effectiv
e in reducing illegal sales, from 86% to 19%, 87% to 34%, and 87% to 4
2%, respectively. In a control condition, illegal sales remained high
(approximately 84%). Cigarette control laws that regularly enforce civ
il penalties for tobacco sales violations can successfully reduce mine
rs' access to cigarettes.