IntrdutionWith the passage of the voter-initiated California Proposition 99, the state excise tax on cigarettes was increased by 25 cents per package, effective January 1, 1989.1 Although the initiative earmarked a percentage of the new revenues for tobacco use control, medical care, and tobacco-related research,2 excise taxes have also been recognized as having potential public health benefits by reducing cigarette consumption.3-7 The purpose of this study was to estimate the impact of the 1989 tax increase on cigarette consumption in California. MethodsCigarette consumption data were derived from state government records of cigarette excise tax revenues.8 Quarterly adult per capita consumption was computed by dividing the total number of packs of cigarettes taxed by the estimated population over age 17. Quarterly estimates of the adult population were interpolated from yearly estimates published by the US Census Bureau.9"10 Quarterly prices for cigarettes were interpolated from annual (November) estimates11 and adjusted for inflation.A

This study reports the sales rate of cigarettes to minors in San Diego County, and investigates factors associated with cigarette sales to minors. Two hundred and ninety-four stores were identified and recruited to participate in a retailer education effort. To assess the baseline illegal sales rate of cigarettes to minors, selected stores were surveyed by 70 volunteer teams of adults and minors. Questionnaires were also administered to participating store owners or managers to assess retailers' knowledge about laws regulating minors' access to tobacco. Survey results indicated that minors were able to successfully purchase cigarettes in 68% of attempts. In addition, teen gender, community sociodemographics and cashier characteristics were associated with sales to minors. Analyses of the retailer questionnaire indicated retailers knew the legal age to purchase cigarettes, but few knew of the specific penalties associated with sales to minors. These findings indicate that minors have easy access to cigarettes and underscore the need for intensive tobacco sales education for retailers and enforcement of sales to minors laws.

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Lacking objective, comprehensible information about health care coverage options, Medicare beneficiaries rarely understand the consequences of alternative purchasing decisions. We describe the Illness Episode Approach, a method providing information on Medicare itself, Medigap policies, and HMOs. The method presents calculations of seniors' out-of-pocket costs under different insurance options for 13 common illnesses.

The present study employed a pre‐post, two‐group design to evaluate the effects of an educational/community‐based retailer intervention on retailer knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to tobacco sales to minors. In addition, the association between retailer behavior change and knowledge/attitude change was investigated. Results showed positive pre‐post changes in intervention retailers' knowledge and behavior, and moderate shifts in attitudes. However, the association between behavior change and changes in knowledge and attitudes was minimal. Results are discussed in terms of other possible mechanisms that may have contributed to the increased effort among retailers to restrict tobacco sales to minors in their communities.