Minors' access to tobacco before and after the California STAKE Act

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of implementation and enforcement of the California STAKE Act on minors' access to tobacco by examining sales over time in the same stores. DESIGN Sixteen year old girls and boys attempted to purchase cigarettes in the same 72 stores, in the same manner, in five time periods: August 1994 (before implementation of legislation); August 1995 (immediately after implementation); August 1996; March 1998; and January 1999 (all postimplementation). OUTCOME MEASURE Percentage of successful cigarette purchases over time, in different ethnic communities. RESULTS Minors' access rate decreased significantly from 41.2% before implementation of legislation (1994) to 12.7% after implementation (1998). The same stores were 3–5 times more likely to sell cigarettes to minors before than after the legislation was implemented, irrespective of ethnic census tract. CONCLUSIONS The California STAKE Act and its enforcement have been effective in reducing minors' access to tobacco in all ethnic communities.