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5.26 Reducing tobacco access and supply

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Reducing access to tobacco is regarded as a component of effective programs to reduce smoking among young people,1, 313 although there is some debate in the literature as to the extent of its importance and effectiveness as a means of reducing uptake.223, 314, 315

Sales of tobacco to people under the age of 18 are illegal in all Australian states and territories, but national data show that it is common for young smokers to buy their own cigarettes.2 In 2005, 23% of secondary students aged between 12-17 who were current smokers[22] had purchased their last cigarette themselves. Seventeen percent of smokers aged 12-15 had bought their own cigarettes, and 29% of teenagers aged 16-17 had made their own purchases. Male smokers were more likely to buy cigarettes for themselves than female smokers. A further 16% of daily smokers aged between 12-17 asked someone else to buy cigarettes for them. Usually this was a friend aged over 18, but some young smokers approached a stranger.2 The same survey showed that 44% of current smokers aged 12-17 thought it would be easy (or very easy) to buy their own cigarettes, and 80% believed it would be easy (or very easy) to get someone else to buy cigarettes for them. The overall proportion of current smokers aged 12-17 buying their own cigarettes has declined since 1987, but has remained relatively stable in the 12-15 age group since 1999.2

As noted in Section 5.11 above, many adolescents obtain their cigarettes through informal social sources that are very difficult to control. This, and the fact that interventions aimed at reducing sales of tobacco to minors have shown only limited impact on tobacco use, has led to questions about the usefulness of access restrictions.314 However the 'symbolic' imperative of targeting access and supply is sometimes overlooked in this debate. After all, widespread availability and ready access to tobacco products can send young people mixed messages about the social acceptability and dangers of smoking138 and perceived availability has been linked to smoking uptake.316 However, a counter argument to this is that tighter controls on access may, in fact, make tobacco more appealing to young people (as 'forbidden fruit').317

To have any impact, legislative measures to reduce access need to:317, 318

  • be regularly enforced, in order to ensure high compliance rates
  • involve a penalty that is not so low that it will not act as a deterrent, but not so high that it is not supported by community attitudes
  • be uniform so that minors cannot avoid them by shopping elsewhere.

Licensing of tobacco retailers has also been advocated as a means of further regulating the availability of tobacco and curbing sales to minors. This could allow for a graduated system of penalties, with infringements ranging from warnings and fines to an ultimate loss of licence.318

The tobacco industry in Australia and overseas has championed programs aimed at educating tobacco retailers and the general public about sales to minors regulations (see Chapter 10, Section 10.13.1), initiatives thought by critics to be more likely to serve industry ends than to improve public health.319

[22]Defined as having smoked in the previous week

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