Online Program

325091
Does raising the minimum legal age for cigarette purchases reduce youth access? Early evidence from New York City


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 11:30 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

Diana Silver, PhD MPH, Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health, New York University, New York, NY
Margaret Giorgio, PhD MPH, College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York University, New York, NY
Geronimo Jimenez, MA, Steinhardt School, Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, New York University, New York, NY
James Macinko, PhD, Fielding School of Public Health. Departments of Health Policy and Management and Community Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Background: New York City raised the legal minimum purchase age for tobacco products from 18 to 21 years effective August 1st, 2014. This study measures compliance with this and other laws regulating tobacco retailers before and after this change.

Data and Methods: Youthfully dressed female investigators just above legal age were deployed February-March 2014 and September –December 2014 to purchase cigarettes from 420 randomly selected vendors throughout NYC, stratified by borough. When purchasing, investigators observed whether vendors requested ID prior to the sale, as well as the purchase price, the presence of exterior advertising, whether tobacco products were kept behind the counter, and the presence of required age and tax stamp signs. OLS and multivariable Poisson regression techniques model pre and post-law compliance with ID checks and assess purchase price, controlling for vendor type, location and compliance with other laws.

Results:  Compliance with mandatory ID checks declined 9% (p<0.01) and average prices declined by $0.20 (p<0.01) after the law changed. Compared to franchise stores, independent retailers had significantly higher likelihood of non-compliance with all laws. Vendors with higher compliance with other laws were also more likely to check ID.

Conclusion:  Additional attention to policy implementation and enforcement of tobacco retail sales laws is necessary to realize the full potential of the changes to minimum age purchase laws and to address retailer strategies that may compensate for lost revenue.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Describe variation in compliance with minimum purchase age laws both before and after age is increased from 18 to 21. Describe variation in compliance with minimum purchase price both before and after age is increased from 18 to 21. Report how compliance with several laws has an impact on compliance with minimum purchase age laws in New York City.

Keyword(s): Tobacco Control, Youth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have extensive expertise in assessing and evaluating public policies related to alcohol, tobacco, food safety and motor vehicles. I recently published preliminary findings from this study in Tobacco Control.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.