Vendor compliance with Ontario's tobacco point of sale legislation.
OBJECTIVE
On May 31, 2006, Ontario joined a small group of international jurisdictions to implement legislative restrictions on tobacco point of sale promotions. This study compares the presence of point of sale promotions in the retail tobacco environment from three surveys: one prior to and two following implementation of the legislation.


METHODS
Approximately 1,575 tobacco vendors were randomly selected for each survey. Each regionally-stratified sample included equal numbers of tobacco vendors categorized into four trade classes: chain convenience, independent convenience and discount, gas stations, and grocery. Data regarding the six restricted point of sale promotions were collected using standardized protocols and inspection forms. Weighted estimates and 95% confidence intervals were produced at the provincial, regional and vendor trade class level using the bootstrap method for estimating variance.


RESULTS
At baseline, the proportion of tobacco vendors who did not engage in each of the six restricted point of sale promotions ranged from 41% to 88%. Within four months following implementation of the legislation, compliance with each of the six restricted point of sale promotions exceeded 95%. Similar levels of compliance were observed one year later. Grocery stores had the fewest point of sale promotions displayed at baseline. Compliance rates did not differ across vendor trade classes at either follow-up survey. Point of sale promotions did not differ across regions in any of the three surveys.


CONCLUSIONS
Within a short period of time, a high level of compliance with six restricted point of sale promotions was achieved.
Ontario Tobacco Research Unit, c/o Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. jolene.dubray@utoronto.ca
Jolene M
JM
Dubray
Robert M
RM
Schwartz
John M
JM
Garcia
Susan J
SJ
Bondy
J Charles
JC
Victor
D003132:Commerce / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003625:Data Collection; D033161:Government Regulation; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D040541:Marketing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009864:Ontario; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011634:Public Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D019460:Tobacco Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data