Minors' access to single cigarettes in California

As the cost of a pack of cigarettes continues to increase, minors may resort to purchasing single cigarettes ("loosies"), but no clear data on their rate of access to singles are available. This study examined the availability of singles to minors by gender, age, and ethnicity.

In a factorial experiment, 36 minors of different sexes, ages, and ethnic groups each attempted to purchase a single cigarette once in half of a group of 72 randomly selected stores in middle-class California communities, for a total of 1,271 single cigarette purchase attempts.

Minors were able to purchase singles 7.9% of the time, with this access rate being significantly higher (16.2%) for older (16-year-old) minors. Minors were typically charged 15 cents for the single, and singles were sold by 28 of the 72 (38.9%) stores.

Minors have considerable access to single cigarettes in middle-class, California communities, despite California laws banning their sale. Minors' rate of access to singles in poorer communities and in states that lack legislation against selling them is probably significantly higher. Because singles facilitate cigarette purchases by minors who lack money, any legislation that increases the cost of a pack of cigarettes must also explicitly ban the sale of singles.