Findings You Can Use

Andersen, P. A., Buller, D. B., Voeks, J. H., Borland, R., Helme, D., & Bettinghaus, E. P. (2007). Predictors of government officials' support for youth tobacco control policies. Journal of Public Health Management Practice, 13(6), 621-629.

[Link to full article - (2.09 MB)]

Abstract: Preventing youth access to tobacco products is a crucial public health goal. This study examines support by city and county officials in Colorado for enacting youth tobacco control policies in the State of Colorado. Participating city and county officials (n=684) were surveyed regarding their attitudes and opinions on tobacco-related issues and policy control efforts. The officials surveyed were generally supportive of efforts to restrict youth access to tobacco. A number of predictors of support for youth tobacco control policies were identified, including official's perceptions of community norms, their political party, the presence of citizen anti-tobacco events, educational background of the officials, and their attitudes about tobacco.

Major Findings:

• General support for youth tobacco control was high (92%).
• However, support decreased when specific policies were discussed. Only 67% supported the use of police stings on tobacco retailers and only 56% supported requiring a tobacco sales license in stores.
• Support for youth access ordinances was greatest among officials who believed that:

1) other community leaders were also supportive of actions to prevent youth tobacco use (raised the odds for support 5 times);
2) tobacco use was a serious problem in their community (raised the odds for support 2 times);
3) youth access to tobacco was a serious problem (raised the odds for support almost 3 times);
4) their community was doing more than other communities to reduce tobacco use (raised the odds for support close to 3 times).

• Officials who had participated in community anti-tobacco events were twice more likely to support youth access restrictions.
• Democrats and Independents were twice more likely to support youth access restrictions than Republicans.
• Officials with a college degree or more were close to 3 times more likely to support youth access restrictions than officials with high school degree or less.
• Supporting police stings were officials who:

1) were personally supportive of efforts to prevent tobacco use among youth (raised the odds for support 3 times);
2) thought other community leaders were supportive of such actions (raised the odds for support almost twice);
3) were from a county that had a stronger ordinance than the state on the sale of tobacco to minors (raised the odds for support twice);
4) believed that government should get involved with personal decisions about smoking (raised the odds for support almost twice).

• Supporting store licensing to sell tobacco were officials who:

1) supported youth tobacco control policies in general (raised the odds for support 3 times);
2) believed that tobacco use or tobacco availability to minors was a serious problem in the community (raised the odds for support twice);
3) believed that government should get involved with personal decisions about smoking (raised the odds for support twice);
4) were former or never smokers (raised the odds for support twice);
5) were Hispanic (raised the odds for support more than twice).