Swimming or sledding: Does an association exist between season and youth access to tobacco products in Indiana

Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Each year, more than 10,200 Indiana youth become daily smokers. One in three will die from smoking – related diseases. More than half of all youth smokers buy the cigarettes they smoke, either directly from retailers or vending machines, from other kids, or by giving money to others to buy for them. Retail clerks become the gatekeepers for tobacco access to minors. There is very little research in the area of youth access to tobacco as it relates to the season or time of year. Research indicates that other drug use such as marijuana increases during the summer months. However, in the summer retail clerks may be more sensitive to youth buyers because they are out of school. In this study we will look at the current tobacco retail outlet sales trends among inspection assistants in Indiana over the last seven years. We will examine the strength of association between the season and the sales of tobacco products to minors. Data will be analyzed from the Indiana Tobacco Retailer Inspection Program (TRIP). TRIP has conducted over 38,000 retailer outlet inspections since 2001. Male and female youth ages 15 – 17 enter retail outlets and attempt to purchase tobacco using a standardized protocol. The results will better assist prevention professionals and those working in training of retail clerks with the necessary data to tailor programs to have a broader effect on reducing tobacco sales to minors.