Despite stiff penalties and substantial enforcement efforts to obtain retail merchant compliance with laws restricting sales of tobacco to underage youth, many youth continue to obtain access to tobacco products. The Florida Department of Professional & Business Regulation engaged a media company to enhance enforcement efforts through development and distribution of training materials for retail employees in small retail outlets such as gas stations and convenience stores. The materials were based on social marketing research principles combined with innovative educational concepts incorporating popular media, such as real life type video & comic book training manuals. Focus group research was conducted to assess the receptivity of key demographic groups of participants to the training materials. A broad range of preferences indicated the importance of educational material to address different learning needs for adult populations. Comments within the focus groups concerning length of the materials, the need to hear and see (multiple sensory learning), and the need to get and hold attention, reflect issues that influence learning. Creative elements (the use of fictional characters and short cut skills to quickly compute age of patrons) used throughout the mediums had varying levels of receptivity. Efforts to train clerks appeared to be appreciated in light of the stiff penalties for non-compliance. Lessons learned have implications for tobacco control and the use of focus group formative research for public health education.
Learning Objectives: Identify critical elements for training retail clerks to increase compliance with tobacco control laws Recognize the utility of social marketing techniques for developing educational materials for key populations
Keywords: Tobacco Control, Social Marketing
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Steel Beach Productions, Inc
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.