Social sources of cigarettes for youth: broadening the research base

The social sourcing of cigarettes by youth is becoming an increasing problem Two articles in Tobacco Control address the burgeoning problem of social sources of cigarettes for youth. Research over the past decade has shown that interventions to reduce youth access to tobacco products have not succeeded in reducing the availability of tobacco products to youth. In part, this is because most interventions have focused exclusively on reducing tobacco sales to minors at retail outlets. Although some of these interventions have been more successful than others in reducing the rate of sales to minors at stores, there are many other potential sources of cigarettes for youth. When there are “crackdowns” on sales to minors at stores, many youth simply switch their usual source of cigarettes. Social sources have simply filled the void. Epidemiologic studies have shown that US youth have increasingly relied upon non-commercial or social sources of cigarettes.1 Both of the recent studies2,3 help expand the knowledge base on social sources and extend the findings of epidemiologic studies. The study by Croghan et al 2 is notable because it combines quantitative and qualitative methods to provide a richer understanding of the emerging issue of social sources. The findings about the underground “peer market” for cigarettes at schools are enlightening. Friends share cigarettes with other friends in a …