Sales of tobacco to California children drop survey

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuter) A new survey shows that
illegal sales of tobacco to children in the nation's most
populous state fell 25.9 percent in the past year, California's
health director said Tuesday.
The 1997 Youth Purchase Survey, conducted by the California
Department of Health Services, also showed a 41 percent decrease
in illegal sales to minors since 1995, the year in which a state
law that mandates compliance checks of tobacco retailers went
into effect.
The survey, based on a random sample of 447 stores in the
state, showed that 21.7 percent of retailers sold tobacco
illegally in 1997. That compared to 29.3 percent in 1996, 37
percent in 1995 and 52.1 percent in 1994.
``The continuing decline in the number of illegal sales of
tobacco products is great news in California's battle to reduce
teen access to tobacco,'' State Health Director Kim Belshe said
in a statement.
The survey also found that store clerks asked wouldbe
teenage tobacco buyers to present identification 76.5 percent
of the time, against 70.3 percent in 1996.
The survey also found that gas stations were most likely to
sell tobacco to minors, followed by convenience stores.
Drugstores and pharmacies were least likely to sell tobacco to
youths.
^REUTER@