OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated an active enforcement program to increase retailers' compliance with the law prohibiting tobacco sales to minors. METHODS: Tobacco sales to minors were monitored in 319 outlets in 6 pairs of communities in Erie County, New York. One community in each pair was randomly assigned to an enforcement intervention. RESULTS: Retailers' compliance with the law increased from 35% in 1994 to 73% in 1995. However, the change in compliance rates was roughly the same for stores in the enforcement and nonenforcement communities. CONCLUSIONS: Active compliance checking of retail outlets as a strategy to reduce illegal tobacco sales to minors may only be necessary insofar as it contributes to an increase in retailers' perception that the threat of enforcement is real.

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One essential factor in youth tobacco use is a ready source of tobacco products. In May 1994, twelve state Attorneys General formed a working group to study the problem of illegal tobacco sales to minors. The working group met with various segments of the retail community to identify actions that could be taken to effectively prevent tobacco sales to minors. The goal of this research was to determine the extent to which tobacco selling retailers have implemented seven of the key recommendations of a working group of state Attorneys General. To address this goal, a five minute telephone survey of owners/managers of 174 tobacco selling retail outlets in Erie County, New York was conducted in February 1995. Results show that nearly all tobacco-selling retailers have implemented at least some store policy designed to prevent tobacco sales to minors. However, most stores continue to sell tobacco products in self-service displays and few stores with electronic price scanners have programmed them to prompt clerks to ask tobacco-purchasing customers for age identification. Shoplifting of tobacco products appears to be a bigger problem in stores with self-service displays.