Thursday, May 20, 1999
Tobacco sales to underage dip
Teen testers only succeed at 27% of stores sampled
BY CHRISTINE WOLFF
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NORWOOD — Tobacco vendors slowly are getting the message in Hamilton County: Don't sell to underage buyers.
Sales of cigarettes and tobacco products to people under 18 — illegal in Ohio — dropped 7 percent during a test conducted on two Saturdays in April, from 34 percent in 1998 to 27 percent this year.
Other findings: The number of vendors requesting proof of age from the test youngsters climbed from 67 percent in 1998 to 72 percent this year; and 92 percent of the testers who were asked for ID were not allowed to make purchases.
The tests — in their second year locally — were conducted countywide in a joint effort by the Hamilton County General Health District and the Norwood City Health Department. About 36 teens — in teams of two with an adult outside — visited 148 randomly selected outlets that are licensed to sell tobacco products.
The teens are told not to lie if asked their age, not to argue with salespeople and to not carry identification.
“We do not try to trick merchants,” said Donna Laake, Norwood health commissioner. “We believe our efforts last year paid off.”
After the '98 tests, packets of information were sent to vendors. A key ingredient in the packets is a copy of the 1992 Ohio law forbidding tobacco sales to minors — a fourth-degree misdemeanor for the first offense, said Tim Ingram, health commissioner for Hamilton County.
The tests will be conducted again next year, Mr. Ingram said.
“We wanted to see the number of (underage) buys drop to 17 percent this year. It should be zero percent — it's the law,” he said.
Six of the teen testers were from Norwood High School. They volunteered for the task to earn service hours as members of the school's National Honor Society and Key Club.
They were a little nervous, some said, before making the first attempts to buy. They endured stern looks from other people in line, and found they often were able to make buys from clerks close to their age, while older clerks were more inclined to refuse.
“Some clerks wanted to sit you down and lecture you,” said Kristin Belleman, a 17-year-old Norwood student.
Many salespeople didn't seem to care whether they sold to underage people, said Nick Sorrell, 17, of Norwood, who bought two cans of chewing tobacco.
“Most just wanted to make a sale,” he said.
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