Project Summary

    Researchers have long grappled with the problem of reducing tobacco use as a way of optimizing the health and well being of communities (Rhodes & Jason, 1988). From the early to the mid 1990s, current smoking, defined as having smoked in the past 30 days, increased from 27.8% to 34% for high school students, and increased from 15.5% to 21% for eighth graders (Johnston, 1996). Every day, 3000 American adolescents begin smoking (Pierce, Fiore, Novotny, Hatziandreu, & Davis, 1989), and it is estimated that 1000 of these children will eventually die of tobacco related illnesses (Centers for Disease Control, 1993; Centers for Disease Control, 1996; Department of Health and Human Services, 1995; Rhodes & Jason, 1988).
    Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, killing over 400,000 people each year (Centers for Disease Control, 1993).  This is more people than die each year of acquired immune deficiency syndrome, homicide, suicide, automobile accidents, illegal drug use, and fires combined (Department of Health and Human Services, 1995). The direct medical costs of treating tobacco related diseases in the United States are estimated at$50,000,000,000 per year (Centers for Disease Control, 1996). The amount of human pain and suffering caused by tobacco use cannot be measured.  Despite these facts, 22.9% of adult Americans and 13.8% of Americans under the age of 18 smoke cigarettes (Centers for Disease Control, 1996).
    A variety of interventions have been developed with the intent of reducing the prevalence of youth tobacco use.  Restricting youth access to tobacco products by enforcing laws that prohibit the sale of tobacco products to minors, might be an effective strategy in reducing the rate of teenage smoking and other tobacco use.  It is also possible that fining minors for possession of tobacco products might be an effective strategy in reducing the rate of teenage smoking and other tobacco use.  It is unclear whether these types of interventions alone or in combination might be the most effective in altering youth tobacco use. In light of the recent settlement by tobacco corporations with various states, public health officials are very interested in understanding more about the effectiveness of these strategies.
    Dr. Leonard Jason of DePaul University was awarded a grant from the National Cancer Institute to systematically examine the impact of these strategies on the prevalence of smoking and other tobacco use among  7th through 12th grade students in 24 communities over a five year period.  It is our hope that the information gained from this study will help other researchers and public health officials across the nation to develop more refined interventions which will ultimately prevent or reduce the prevalence of smoking and other tobacco use among our youth.

Here are a few of the benefits you may receive when participating as a Research Assistant with the Youth Tobacco Access Project: -

1) Enhance your Resume
2) Class Credit
    a) Honors Thesis
    b) Independent Study
    c) Reading and Research
3) Research skills
    a) Hands on experience
    b) Field research
    c) Specific skills such as computer and software skills (SPSS, Databases, Excel, Access)
    d) Survey Administration
4) Letters of Recommendation
5) Involvement in and Presentations at Conferences
6) Publications
7) Preparation for Graduate Studies
    a) Interaction with Faculty, full time researchers, graduate students and potential graduate students
    b) Meet other undergraduates with some of the same goals.

Activity One
Data Collection: 7th through 12th grade students:
    Students are asked to fill out a seven-page questionnaire focusing on their attitudes and behavior regarding tobacco and other drug use.   These data will be collected in March and early April 2002, and will be collected again in 2003 and 2004.

Activity Two
Data Collection: A measure of the sales rate to minors in target communities:
    This June, July, and August, we performed “Tobacco Purchase Attempts” in our communities to assess how available tobacco products are to youth.   A Tobacco Purchase Attempt refers to an attempt by an underage youth to purchase tobacco from a tobacco retailer under the direction and supervision of authorized officials.  We worked in conjunction with Police Departments and youth from our target communities to complete this phase of data collection.  We collected data on such characteristics as: the age and gender of the clerk, the type of sale (i.e., over-the-counter, self-service, vending machine), and the number of tobacco advertisements present.  This activity will also be repeated in 2002, 2003, and 2004.

Activity Three
Intervention:
    This fall we will begin our work with the Police Departments, Health Departments and Community Groups from each of our towns in an effort to reduce tobacco use among youth.  Data from Activity One and Activity Two will be used to assess the effectiveness of the intervention.