No See, No Smoke

Teenagers may try to buy cigarettes less often if tobacco displays are hidden, says a study. Researchers created a video game that involved buying items at convenience stores. They asked teens to buy a drink from the cooler, a snack from the aisles, and two items of their choice at the checkout counter. On the wall behind each counter were cigarettes. In some stores, they were hidden from view. In others, they were not. When the cigarettes were hidden from view, teens were much less likely to try to buy them (by clicking on them). The study was published in the journal Pediatrics. Reuters wrote about it December 3.