Effects of youth tobacco access and possession policy interventions on heavy adolescent smokers

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2009 Jan;6(1):1-9. doi: 10.3390/ijerph6010001. Epub 2008 Dec 23.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of tobacco PUP (Purchase, Use and Possession) laws on tobacco use patterns among students in twenty-four towns, which were randomly assigned into an experimental and a control group. The experimental group involved both PUP law enforcement and reducing minors' access to commercial sources of tobacco, and the condition for the control group involved only efforts to reduce minors' access to commercial sources of tobacco. The present study found that adolescents in the control group had a significantly greater increase in the percentage of youth who smoked 20 or more cigarettes per day when compared to the experimental group.

Keywords: PUP laws; minors’ access to tobacco.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Commerce / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Humans
  • Illinois / epidemiology
  • Law Enforcement*
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Smoking Prevention*