Tobacco Induced Diseases (Jun 2018)

Tobacco regulatory compliance with STAKE Act age-ofsale signage among licensed tobacco retailers across diverse neighborhoods in Southern California

  • Steve Sussman,
  • Tess Boley Cruz,
  • Sabrina L. Smiley,
  • Chih-Ping Chou,
  • Jennifer B. Unger,
  • Natalie Kintz,
  • Yaneth L. Rodriguez,
  • Rosa Barahona,
  • Brianna A Lienemann,
  • Mary Ann Pentz,
  • Jonathan Samet,
  • Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati

DOI
https://doi.org/10.18332/tid/91846
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. June

Abstract

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Introduction The California Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement (STAKE) Act requires licensed tobacco retailers to post minimum age-of-sale signage at the point of sale. This study investigated STAKE Act compliance in licensed tobacco retailers across four racial/ethnic communities in Southern California. Methods The sample consisted of 675 licensed tobacco retailers (excluding chain store supermarkets and pharmacies) randomly selected based on zip codes from predominantly non-Hispanic White (n=196), African American (n=193), Hispanic/Latino (n=186), and Korean American (n=100) communities. A protocol for assessing signage was completed at each store by community health workers (promotoras de salud). The law changed from a minimum age of 18 to 21 years (Tobacco 21) during data collection, as of 9 June 2016. Differences in signage compliance were evaluated before and after changes in the State law. Results Overall, 45% of the stores were compliant with posting the required age-of-sale signage (which varied in minimum age by date of collection); 14% of stores did not have any store interior age-of-sale signs, and 41% of stores had some type of age-of-sale sign but were not compliant with the STAKE Act (e.g. 29.5% of the stores had non-compliant tobacco industry We Card signs but not STAKE Act signs). Stores observed after the 2016 implementation of Tobacco 21 had significantly lower STAKE Act signage compliance rates (38.6%) compared to stores observed before the change in the State law (70.9%) (z=6.8623, p<0.001). The difference in STAKE Act sign compliance between stores located in AA communities (16.9%) and stores located in NHW communities (41.5%) observed within the first three months after the change in law was statistically significant (χ2(1)=20.098, p<0.001). Conclusions Findings suggest the need for prompt, educational outreach to licensed tobacco retailers on age-of-sale signage changes, multiple compliance checks, and enforcement.

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