NCJ Number
187311
Date Published
June 2000
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This report presents the findings of a study by the New York State Attorney General's Office that was designed to determine whether 11 major retail chains were illegally selling tobacco products to teenagers in violation of New York State's Adolescent Tobacco Use Prevention Act (ATUPA).
Abstract
An undercover sting operation was conducted during April, May, and June 2000, involving the use of underage students in efforts to purchase tobacco products from stores in the 11 retail chains. The operation found that each of the targets repeatedly and persistently sold tobacco products to teenagers. Indeed, in many instances, the teenagers, when asked by some of the retailers to show identification, displayed their actual identification, which indicated they were under the legal age to purchase tobacco products. Enforcement efforts have been initiated against each of the retailers for the violations of ATUPA. This report recommends practices and procedures for adoption by all tobacco retailers in New York State, so as to reduce the number of illegal sales to minors. The recommendations are to develop effective training on avoiding illegal tobacco sales to minors; program existing electronic price scanners with tobacco "locks" to help control tobacco sales; hold store managers accountable for their stores' compliance with the law; keep tobacco products behind the sales counter or in locked cases; and remove advertisements, in-store displays, and promotional items for tobacco.