Youth Access Laws and Social Sources of Tobacco

Research Question: How do social sources of tobacco products vary based on different implementation strategies for purchase, use, and possession laws in four Kentucky communities? Methods: Exploratory study using multiple data sources and qualitative methods. Sample: A pmposive sample of four Kentucky communities: (a) low illegalsales rate, any enforcement of PUP laws; (b) high illegalsales rate, any enforcement of PUP laws (e.g., Manchester, Jackson, Kenton Qmnty); (c) low illegalsales rate, no enforcement (e.g., Elizabethtown, Nicholas County); (d) high illegalsales rate, no enforcement. Illegal sales rates by county or health department service area from ABC will be used to determine one characteristic of the four groups. The extent of enforcement will be determined by a series of systematic key informant interviews. Potential Questions: 0 Are youth, parents, schools, and tobacco coordinators aware of the PUP law? 0 How do youth, parents, schools, and tobacco coordinators perceive the PUP law? 0 To what extent is the PUP law being enforced? 0 How much does it cost per year to enforcethe PUP law? 0 What is the variation in penalties by county? 0 If there are diversion/education programs, what is the quality of those programs? 0 What is the effect of the PUP and youth access laws on sources oftobacco? Have they changed as a result? 0 What is the effect of KY PUP law on school policies and parental controls? Phase I (Fall 2002): Key informant interviews with law enforcement (includingABC officers), school, health department officials, and parents in the four communities using snowball sampling. The pmpose of the interviews will be to describe the nature of implementation of the PUP laws, how they are enforced, penalties, attitudes toward the effectiveness of the laws, and whether enforcement activities have diverted resources away from other tobacco control activities. Phase II (Spring 2003): Focus groups with youth smokers (grades 8-12) in the four communities. Youth will be recruited using suggestions from the key informants in Phase I. Groups of 8-10 youth smokers will participate in a I-hour session to discuss their perceptions of the PUP laws in Kentucky and how they obtain tobacco products. Each youth participant will be asked to complete an anonymous written survey on where they obtain tobacco products.