GROUP FINDS TOBACCO ADS TARGETED AT YOUTHS; ASSIST VOLUNTEERS SURVEY BENTON

A study by Missouri American Stop Smoking Intervention Study for cancer prevention, or ASSIST, has found that tobacco companies are targeting youths with their advertisements.

Missouri ASSIST recently conducted Operation Storefront, a study of tobacco advertisements in retail stores. Operation Storefront is a three-phase project conducted to demonstrate the problem of tobacco advertising and promotion.

ASSIST chapters recruited 37 youth groups to inspect businesses in 33 counties. Teams of two youths and one adult visited liquor stores, chain convenience stores, supermarkets, gas stations and other stores that sold tobacco products and surveyed the number, type and placement of advertisements they saw.

A survey in Benton supported state findings that many companies are making their ads attractive and accessible to young people even though the youths aren't legally able to purchase tobacco products.

The Benton team found tobacco products and promotions were placed in locations within easy access to youths. This corresponded with the statewide study, which found 11 percent of all ads were placed next to candy and 21 percent of tobacco ads were placed below three feet.

"We thought we would start locally to see how our town is as opposed to statewide," said Sandra Bollinger, who accompanied her daughter Camille, 15, and Jennifer Wilson, 15, while they performed surveys in Benton for the study. "We're really no different. I was amazed at the number of ads we saw that were located near schools and below three feet."

Missouri law requires stores selling tobacco products to post "a depiction of a pack of cigarettes at least two inches high defaced by a red diagonal line with a surrounding red circle and the words Under 18." Teams in Benton and elsewhere found that many stores are in noncompliance with the law, which is enforced by sheriff's departments and other specified law enforcement agencies, members of the group said.

Dr. Jerrell L. Driver, ASSIST consultant, said many companies have signs posted that deliver the same message, but the signs aren't the ones required by law. "Others get a message out, but it's still the wrong sign," he said. "Technically, they are in violation of the law and could be fined."

Driver said he hopes tobacco companies and store owners will become more aware of their responsibilities to children as a result of the study. The promotions and easy accessibility are making smoking a problem for youths, he said, and more restrictions are needed.

"The companies work against each other in trying to get you to try their brand, but they work together in a sense in getting you to use the product itself," he said. "When the little kids enter the store, they're getting the message that it's OK."