Can I see some ID for that?

It's a question more and more underage teens are hearing when they attempt to buy cigarettes.

A survey by the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency released Thursday found that the number of retailers selling tobacco products to minors has decreased dramatically since its last survey in 1995.

The Tobacco Education Program found a 12 percent purchase rate this year, compared with 54 percent in 1995. From April to May, about 20 teens ages 14 to 17 went to 155 randomly selected stores to buy cigarettes, chewing tobacco and cigars. When the results came in, county officials were thrilled to see their high failure rate.

"We're excited," said Heather Duvall, project director for Tobacco Education. "One of the ways we keep kids from smoking is stopping them from getting cigarettes in the first place."

Teens went all over the county attempting to buy at convenience stores, markets, liquor stores, supermarkets and gas stations. If the products were rung up, the teens would claim to not have enough money and leave.

Among the survey's findings were:

• Chewing tobacco was the easiest to buy, with a 23 percent success rate.
• Stores in Salida had the highest purchase rate, 75 percent.
• Stores in Crows Landing, Denair, Hickman, Hughson, Keyes, Waterford and Westley did not sell to minors at all.
• Small markets had the highest purchase rate, 20 percent.
• Convenience stores and gas stations had the lowest rates, 4.7 percent and zero percent, respectively.
• Younger clerks (ages 25 and under) were more likely to sell to minors.

Teens involved in the survey said they were surprised to be denied so often.

"Most of the stores I went to were dead-set against selling to me, which is great," said 17-year-old Alicia Stonebreaker, a Beyer High junior. "It means we got the message out."

Health officials attribute the drop largely to education. They said the media, as well as state and local agencies, have focused a lot of publicity on the issue. Duvall said specialized merchant education programs and crackdowns also have sent the message to retailers that selling to minors is a no-no.

The California State Health Department can fine retailers $200 for a first offense to $6,000 for a fifth violation within a five-year period. Stores that were willing to sell to teens in the county survey will not be fined. Instead, they will get a letter from the county in the fall and be urged to attend a merchant education seminar.

"The information is out there," Duvall said. "I think now it is just less socially acceptable to sell to minors."

Some of the stores that sold teens tobacco in the survey still asked for ID. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to make a difference.

"Even if they asked for the ID, they would say, 'Well, OK,' " said 16-year-old Jayme Pennington, a Beyer junior. "A lot of them would just hush-hush give it to me."

Teens said even though the number of stores willing to sell to them was low, there are plenty of ways to get a nicotine fix. Teens will go to specific stores they know will sell to them. Or they'll ask an older sibling or friend to buy for them. Others switch IDs with a friend.

"Appearance really counts," said Sergio Jimenez, a recent Ceres High graduate who just turned 18. "If you look like trouble, they won't sell to you. But if you are well-dressed, they probably will."

Still, Duvall said the results are positive. Tobacco Education plans to do another survey by 2001. In between, the program will work to lower the purchase rate further by continuing education efforts, asking the public to report stores that sell to minors and holding more merchant education seminars.

"Just making it a little more difficult really does deter those teens who are not smoking already," she said. "It makes a difference."

Reprinted by permission of Modesto Bee.