UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies, Centre for Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK;
Nicotine Tob Res. 2013 Dec;15(12):2053-9. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntt095. Epub 2013 Aug 3.
Reducing access to cigarettes is an important element of youth smoking prevention strategies. This is particularly so in disadvantaged communities that have high rates of youth smoking. In 2010, Scotland banned proxy sales of tobacco products to under 18-year-olds who were getting older people to purchase cigarettes on their behalf.
A qualitative study using 24 small single-sex friendship groups. Eighty young people, mostly aged 14-16, of whom 57 were smokers, were recruited in 2012 from community youth groups in 3 socially disadvantaged areas of Scotland.
Participants' main sources of cigarettes were proxy sales, family, and peers and friends. Younger smokers were more likely to purchase single cigarettes from older smokers at school and to steal cigarettes from family members. Older and regular smokers were more likely to obtain cigarettes through proxy purchases. Proxy purchases were often facilitated by problem drug users who were willing to buy cigarettes for a small monetary reward. Direct purchases in shops were less commonly reported but appeared to involve complicit action by some retailers. Few reported that they bought blackmarket cigarettes, although they were available in these communities.
Young people in areas of deprivation are still able to circumvent the age-of-sale legislation on selling cigarettes. Even though proxy sales have been banned, they are an important source of cigarettes for disadvantaged young smokers.
减少香烟的可获得性是青少年控烟策略的重要组成部分。在青少年吸烟率较高的贫困社区，这一点尤为重要。2010 年，苏格兰禁止 18 岁以下未成年人请他人代买香烟。
本研究采用定性方法，纳入了 24 个小型同性友谊小组。2012 年，在苏格兰 3 个社会弱势群体地区的社区青年团体中，招募了 80 名 14-16 岁的年轻人，其中 57 名是吸烟者。
参与者购买香烟的主要来源是代购、家人、同龄人及朋友。较年轻的吸烟者更有可能在学校向年长的吸烟者购买单支香烟，也更有可能从家人那里偷烟。年长且经常吸烟的人更有可能通过代购来获得香烟。代购往往是由愿意为小额金钱奖励购买香烟的问题吸毒者促成的。在商店直接购买香烟的情况较少见，但似乎涉及一些零售商的默许行为。很少有人报告说他们购买黑市香烟，尽管这些香烟在这些社区都有供应。
贫困地区的年轻人仍然能够规避关于销售香烟的法定年龄限制。尽管代购已经被禁止，但它们仍然是贫困年轻吸烟者购买香烟的重要来源。
