Chapter 16 Youth access to tobacco

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Yet the tobacco industry continues, with great ferocity and dishonesty, to fight efforts to

limit youth smoking. Philip Morris, for example, vowed more than a year ago to

withdraw merchandising benefits from retailers convicted of selling cigarettes to

minors illegally. The Philip Morris pledge was announced in big splashy national ads.

Three states-Minnesota, Oregon and Massachusetts-decided to take Philip Morris up

on its offer. They furnished the company with the names of stores that had been

convicted of selling cigarettes to minors. The American Lung Association in

Washington did the same. Then they waited for Philip Morris to act. And they waited...

and waited... and waited. They're still waiting; in fact, Philip Morris has yet to punish a

single dealer. "If anyone thinks that the tobacco industry can be trusted," Minnesota

Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III was quoted as saying, "they should look at the

pathetic grandstanding, foot-dragging and finger-pointing behind this public relations

stunt."

Quote from "...And the Kids Keep on Lighting Up," George Dessart (Washington

Post National Weekly Edition, August 26-September 1, 1996, p. 28)

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A 1987 study in Decatur, Illinois found that a 14-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy

were able to purchase cigarettes in 78% and 63% of stores, respectively. In the San

Jose area, 412 stores and 30 vending machines were visited by 18 minors ages 14

to 16 years with the intent to purchase cigarettes; they were successful in 74% of the

stores and 100% of the vending machines. After a 6-month community campaign and

direct merchant education, the percentage of stores with illegal over-the-counter sales

of cigarettes to minors was reduced by 39%.

Journal of the American Medical Association, January 6, 1989, p. 80

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Nearly 75% of eighth graders and 90% of tenth graders report that cigarettes are

"very easy" or "fairly easy" to get.

Wall Street Journal, August 10, 1995, p. B1

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Thursday, July 06, 2000

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