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Restricting Minors’ Access to Tobacco Products: Sales Laws Directed at Retailers When Used Alone

These laws include licensing requirements for tobacco retailers, bans or restrictions on tobacco product vending machines and self-service displays and also other measures, such as requiring proof of the purchaser’s age, displaying sales laws and banning the sale of single cigarettes.

Summary of Task Force Recommendations & Findings

The Community Preventive Services Task Force finds insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of laws directed at retailers when implemented alone in reducing youth access to tobacco because only one study qualified for review and it had limitations in execution and lacked measurements of youth tobacco use or purchase behaviors.

Task Force Finding

Results from the Systematic Reviews

Only one study qualified for the review.

  • The reviewed study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a local county ban on self-service displays on sales of tobacco products to youth.
  • This study had limitations in study execution and lacked measurements of youth tobacco use or purchase behaviors.

These findings were based on a systematic review of all available studies, conducted on behalf of the Task Force by a team of specialists in systematic review methods, and in research, practice and policy related to tobacco use.

Economic Review

An economic review of this intervention was not conducted because the Task Force found insufficient evidence to determine its effectiveness.

Supporting Materials

Publications

Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Tobacco. Adobe PDF File [PDF - 3.63KB] In : Zaza S, Briss PA, Harris KW, eds. The Guide to Community Preventive Services: What Works to Promote Health? Atlanta (GA): Oxford University Press;2005:3-79.

More Community Guide publications about Tobacco Use




Disclaimer

The findings and conclusions on this page are those of the Community Preventive Services Task Force and do not necessarily represent those of CDC.

Sample Citation

The content of publications of the Guide to Community Preventive Services is in the public domain. Citation as to source, however, is appreciated. Sample citation: Guide to Community Preventive Services. Restricting minors’ access to tobacco products: sales laws directed at retailers. www.thecommunityguide.org/tobacco/restrictingaccess/saleslaws.html. Last updated: MM/DD/YYYY.

Review completed: June 2001