StoreALERT Survey Results in Martin County, Florida, 2010

StoreALERT SurveyResults in Martin County, Florida, 2010

Barry Hummel, Jr., MD, FAAPQuit Doc Research and Education Foundation

Cigarette companies spend over $13 billion a year to market their products, roughly $1 billion in Florida alone!

This represents $10,000 spent to recruit each of the 1.3 million new teenage smokers who pick up their first cigarette every year

85% of that total – $11 billion – directly impacts retail outlets

Children and teens are three times more likely to respond to this type of advertising than adults!

Tobacco Advertising

Tobacco Advertising

FL HS:: 22.2%

Martin HS: 24.7%

FL MS: 8.7%

Martin MS: 9.4%

StoreALERT Survey

This standardized survey tool is used to collect data in local retail outlets.

The survey evaluates exterior and interior tobacco advertising, as well as tobacco product placement.

StoreALERT Survey

The survey translates in to easy-to-understand grades, ranging from “A” to “F”.

Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Clubs and MCHS Leadership students completed surveys in 2010.

StoreALERT Survey

• Methods:- Using Google Maps, 127 potential tobacco retailers within

three miles of Martin County Middle and High Schools were identified.

- Because of population density, many of these retailers were within three miles of multiple schools, including Elementary Schools.

- Surveys were completed on 73 of those retailers (58% of the total).

- Surveys were completed in all Zip Codes.- Over half the stores were convenience stores, gas

stations, or combined convenience/gas outlets.

StoreALERT Survey Results, 2010

• Focus on Convenience Stores:- 75% of convenience store sales are from the

top five categories:• Cigarettes (32.7% of sales)• Packaged beverages (14.1%)• Foodservice (13.9%)• Beer (10.2%)• Other tobacco products (3.9%)


National Association of Convenience Stores, 2009

• Focus on Convenience Stores:


This is taken from “Convenience Teens: Building Loyalty with the Next Generation”, published by The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and Coca Cola.



The NACS/Coca Cola Research Council conducts studies that help stores respond to the changing marketplace!

And just what does their research on teenagers reveal?

• Focus on Exterior Ads:- Remember: Exterior ads affect everyone in the

community, including people that do NOT even shop in the store!

- Remember, children and teens are three times more sensitive to this type of advertising!


• Focus on Self-Service Tobacco:- These items make it easier for teens to access

tobacco.• If you are underage, it is easier to toss it on

the counter than to ask for it.• It is easier for teens to steal it in order to try

it or maintain an ongoing addiction.


• The initial assessment implied that self-service tobacco is offered at the same rates in all retail outlets.

• However, further review of the data revealed the real answer: Liquor and tobacco stores, which are not youth-friendly, frequently offer self-service tobacco!

- These stores are in a unique position because teens do NOT frequently shop in such stores.


• The data reveals several potential policy changes that would help to prevent youth tobacco use:

- Restrict tobacco advertising to interior advertising placed only near tobacco products.

- Eliminate self-service tobacco by requiring that all tobacco products be placed behind the counter.

• Consider exemptions for adult-only stores (tobacconists, liquor stores).

What’s Next?

• We are currently entering data from a recent survey of local middle and high school students.

• 1,000 surveys have been entered to date.

• These preliminary results reveal the following…

Why is this important?


All Students


High School Students


Middle School Students

Questions and Answers

Barry Hummel, Jr., MD, FAAPQuit Doc Research and Education Foundation

StoreALERT Survey Results in Martin County, Florida, 2010

Documents

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