Reducing minors' access to tobacco: eight years' experience in Hawaii

This paper reports the findings of annual Synar inspections to assess compliance with federal and state legislation to limit minors' access to tobacco products in Hawaii. We also report on factors associated with selling tobacco to minors for the most recent year of inspections (2003).

Annual, random, unannounced inspections were conducted by minors (ages 14-17 years) over an 8-year period (1996-2003). Stores were randomly selected from a list of stores that sell tobacco products in Hawaii.

There was a significant decrease in the percent of successful purchases made over the period from 1996 (44.5%) to 2003 (6.2%). Based on multivariate analyses, only two variables were associated with whether a successful purchase was made in 2003: whether the minor's identification or age was requested.

Findings suggest that surveillance, education, and enforcement efforts in Hawaii have been successful at making substantial reductions in noncompliance rates. Even with the current low rate of sales to minors, failing to request the minor's identification or age was associated with making a successful purchase, while characteristics of the minor and retail environment were not.