Learning Objectives: Describe the sales practices of Internet cigarette vendors List a youth tobacco purchase survey protocol adapted for the Internet
Abstract: Problem: The 2000 National Youth Tobacco survey found that 2.2% of high school students and 12.5% of middle school students reported purchasing cigarettes on the Internet. Although youth tobacco purchase studies have been conducted at retail outlets for over a decade, there are no published youth tobacco purchase studies from the Internet.
Methods: During the summer of 2001, four youth attempted to purchase cigarettes via the Internet under adult supervision. Two youth were male and two were female; youth ranged in age from 11 to 15. Purchase attempts were made on 56 Web sites, and each youth purchased from approximately one fourth of the sites using both money orders and a prepaid debit card with a Visa symbol. When applying for the credit card, youth entered their true age.
Results: Underage youth successfully received cigarettes from 91% of the vendors (88.9% for credit card purchases; 91.7% for money order purchases). Age was never verified on any of the deliveries. Over 1,650 packages of cigarettes were shipped to the underage youth in this study.
Discussion: Youth appear to have easy access to cigarettes via the Internet. These results underscore the need for a federal law banning Internet and mail order cigarettes to children. Implications for developing protocols for assessing youth access via the Internet will also be discussed.
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