The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of the educational materials developed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on tobacco retail personnel. In particular the study was designed to assess the utilization of the materials by managers of the stores and to assess the impact on the managers' and clerks' attitudes and behaviors. Social Marketing research techniques were used to develop the training materials by a media company using popular media such as video & comic books. Sampling was based on a random cluster design, through random selection of 69 stores that had requested the educational materials. A responsible manager and approximately 3 clerks were identified per store. The primary data collection process was through self-completed surveys. Data from 259 surveys (67 manager surveys and 192 sales clerk surveys) were analyzed, showing that the educational materials appeared to be effective in increasing clerk compliance with the law regulating sales of tobacco. The video in particular appeared to enhance clerk skills related to calculating the legal age to buy tobacco. Clerk skills in calculating the legal age to buy tobacco appears to be an obstacle to obtaining higher compliance with enforcement of Florida's law restricting tobacco sales to underage youth. Although managers appear to recognize their responsibility to train and insure that the clerks are capable, many do not appear to follow through. Increasing manager concern and commitment to training and insuring clerk ability may be critical for improved compliance with the law.
Learning Objectives: Identify problems associated with increasing retail merchant compliance with tobacco control laws. Recognize how education and training of retail clerks can increase retail merchant compliance with Tobacco Control Laws
Keywords: Tobacco Control, Tobacco Policy
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Steel Beach Production, Inc
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.