Community Profile

COMMUNITY PROFILE

Youth Purchase Surveys

“Youth purchase surveys” are commonly used to determine the rate of illegal tobacco sales to minors in a particular community. Community health agencies recruit and train under-age youth to approach tobacco retailers and attempt to buy tobacco. Such surveys do not involve law enforcement and results are typically used for informational purposes only.

From January through March, 2004, the Tobacco-Free Communities Coalition conducted a youth purchase survey of over 1,000 stores throughout San Diego County to determine the rate of illegal tobacco sales to minors. Surveys were completed for 873 of the 1,065 stores. Nearly 10% of the 1,065 stores in the sample did not stock tobacco products at all.

Countywide, minors were able to purchase tobacco products at 295 out of 872 stores, yielding an illegal sales rate of 33.8%. The survey found that sales clerks asked for minors’ ID 73% of the time. When sales clerks asked for ID, the sales rate was 14.3%. When sales clerks did not ask for ID, minors were able to buy tobacco 88% of the time.

Following is a breakdown for 16 of the county's 18 cities (Escondido and San Marcos were not included due to resource limitations), as well as for the unincorporated areas:

2004 Illegal Tobacco Sales by Community

City/ Community	No. of Stores Surveyed	% Sold
Incorporated Areas
La Mesa	40	57.5
San Diego	264	43.6
El Cajon	80	40.0
National City	47	36.2
Unincorporated Areas	74	32.4
Carlsbad	31	32.3
Encinitas	44	29.5
Vista	58	29.3
Imperial Beach	14	28.6
Santee	16	25.0
Chula Vista	77	20.8
Oceanside	70	18.6
Poway	28	17.9
Lemon Grove	13	15.4
Coronado	7	00.0
Del Mar	4	00.0
Solana Beach	5	00.0
Escondido	Not surveyed	NA
San Marcos	Not surveyed	NA
TOTAL	872	33.8%

Illegal sales rates were also calculated by store type. Deli/meat/produce stores were more than five times likely to sell than drugstores/pharmacies.

2004 Illegal Tobacco Sales by Store Type

Store Type	No. of Stores Surveyed	% Sold
Deli/Meat/Produce	20	65.0
Other	3	66.7
Gas station only	39	51.3
Discount	23	43.5
Convenience (w/gas)	206	38.3
Independent market	126	37.3
Convenience (w/o gas)	94	31.9
Liquor	201	28.9
Supermarket	102	28.4
Drug/Pharmacy	52	13.5
Tobacco shop	6	0.0
TOTAL	872	33.8%

2004 Illegal Tobacco Sales by Selected* Store Chains

Chain/Franchise	No. of Stores Surveyed	% Sold
Food 4 Less	5	60.0
99 Cent Stores	8	50.0
Shell	28	46.4
Chevron	26	42.3
7-11	110	40.9
G & M	5	40.0
Arco AM/PM	47	38.3
Mobil	21	38.1
Exxon	14	35.7
76	9	33.3
Albertson's	25	32.0
Vons	33	27.3
Circle K	12	25.0
Ralph's	16	25.0
Rite Aid	20	20.0
Thrifty	10	20.0
Sav-On Drugs	19	10.5
Long's Drugs	13	0.00
Stater Bros.	5	0.00
Wal-Mart	7	0.00

* (more then 5 stores surveyed)

Local Tobacco Control Laws

Many cities in San Diego County have passed local ordinances further regulating the sale and distribution of tobacco to minors. For more information on the tobacco control ordinances passed in your community, please click on the city name below:

Carlsbad
Chula Vista
Coronado
Del Mar
El Cajon
Encinitas
Escondido
Imperial Beach
La Mesa
Lemon Grove
National City
Oceanside
Poway
San Diego
San Diego County (Unincorporated Areas)
San Marcos
Santee
Solana Beach
Vista

For information about current efforts to pass stronger tobacco control laws in communities throughout San Diego County, please go to our Take Action page.