Welcome to CounterTobacco.org’s “News and Research Roundup!” Each month we post a summary of the latest research, reports, and news stories on counteracting tobacco product sales and marketing at the point of sale (POS). Keeping up with what’s happening in the POS movement all across the country can help you choose policies and strategies that work best for your community. New research can help provide support for your work and evidence for the importance of the “War in the Store.” Have a story you don’t want us to miss? E-mail it to us!
New Research
Disparities and Density
Racial and Ethnic Differences in What Smokers Report Paying for Their Cigarettes,Nicotine & Tobacco Research
- This study found that blacks, Hispanics, and Asians report paying $0.49-$0.89 more per cigarette pack than whites. This difference was in part explained by higher rates of carton purchasing by non-Hispanic whites. The authors suggest that local pricing markets may also play a roll. In addition, AI/AN groups reported paying as low of prices as whites, primarily due to cheaper prices when purchasing on a reservation. Policies that focus on bulk purchases (e.g. carton or multi-pack purchases) and purchases on reservations may be important for reducing racial and ethnic differences in smoking rates. Learn more about raising tobacco prices through non-tax approaches.
- Tobacco outlet density and converted versus native non-daily cigarette use in a national US sample, Tobacco Control
- This study found that converted non-daily smokers (those who formerly smoked daily) are more likely than native non-daily smokers (those who have never smoked daily) to live in areas with high retailer density. Converted non-daily smokers living in high outlet density areas were also more price-sensitive than those living in low outlet density areas. Price-sensitive, non-daily smokers living in high outlet density areas were also less likely to have intentions to quit within the next 6 months compared to price-sensitive, non-daily smokers living in low outlet density areas. Learn more about tobacco retailer licensing as a way to reduce outlet density.
- Supplementary issue of Nicotine & Tobacco Research: Critical Examination of Factors Related to the Smoking Trajectory among African American Youth and Young Adults
- News story: Smoking Rates Stall Among Young Blacks, Consumer HealthDay News
- Learn more about disparities in point of sale advertising and tobacco retailer density.
Flavored Tobacco
- Has Boston’s 2011 cigar packaging and pricing regulation reduced availability of single-flavored cigars popular with youth?, Tobacco Control
- In 2011, Boston implemented a cigar packaging and pricing regulation that required single cigars to cost more than $2.50, a package of two cigars to cost more than $5.00, and a package of three cigars to cost more than $7.50. Otherwise, the regulation stipulated that cigars must be sold in packages of at least four. As a result, both sales and retail availability of single grape-flavored Dutch Masters cigars (which are popular with youth) decreased. Between 2011 and 2014, the percentage of Boston retailers selling grape DM single cigars decreased by 34.5%. Additionally, the number of neighborhoods with 3 or more retailers selling these cigars per 100 youth residents decreased from 12 stores to 3, reducing neighborhood-level disparities in retail availability.
- News Story: New Study by UMMS shows Boston has reduced youth access to flavored cigars, UMass Med Now
- TrendBlendz: how Splitarillos use marijuana flavors to promote cigarillo use,Tobacco Control
- Flavored Tobacco Products in the United States: A Systematic Review Assessing Use and Attitudes, Nicotine & Tobacco Research
- This review of studies assessing attitudes towards non-menthol flavored tobacco products found that consumer perceptions of non-menthol flavored tobacco products are more positive than consumer perceptions of non-flavored tobacco products. Younger ages were also associated with flavored tobacco use,
- Learn more about policies that restrict the availability of flavored tobacco.
E-Cigarettes
- The journal Tobacco Control focuses all on e-cigarettes this month! View the table of contents here. A sample of the studies included:
- Combustible cigarettes cost less to use than e-cigarettes: global evidence and tax policy implications, Tobacco Control
- In a sample of 45 countries (including the United States), the price of comparable combustible cigarettes was less than disposable e-cigarettes in all countries. E-liquids for rechargeable e-cigarettes cost less than combustible cigarettes per unit, but use requires a higher up-front cost to purchase the vaping device. This suggests that in order to achieve a differential tax policy in accordance with the proportionality principle (which taxes products according to their relative harm and which may encourage smokers to switch to e-cigarettes), raising excise taxes on combustible cigarettes will likely be necessary.
- Employing the Precautionary Principle to Evaluate the Use of E-Cigarettes,Frontiers in Public Health
- Flavoring Chemicals in E-Cigarettes: Diacetyl, 2,3-Pentanedione, and Acetoin in a Sample of 51 Products, Including Fruit-, Candy-, and Cocktail-Flavored E-Cigarettes, Environmental Health Perspectives
- News story: Harvard study confirms dangers of vaping, Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel
- Learn more about e-cigarettes at the point of sale.
Assessing the place of nicotine vaporizers in tobacco controlOther
- Global Evidence on the Association between POS Advertising Bans and Youth Smoking Participation, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Based on data from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, this study found that in countries with point of sale advertising bans, current, daily, and regular smoking rates among youth were lower than in countries without bans.
- “May I Buy a Pack of Marlboros, Please” A Systematic Review of Evidence to Improve the Validity and Impact of Youth Undercover Buy Inspections, PLOS ONE
- This review of youth undercover buy protocols found that many of the commonly used protocols do not accurately represent true youth interactions, and that protocols which do mimic real-world youth experiences are more likely to result in a sale. The authors suggest that undercover buy protocols should better attempt to replicate real-world appearance, behaviors, and demographics of youth tobacco buyers in order to improve reliability and validity.
- Perspective: Have Tobacco 21 Laws Come of Age?, New England Journal of Medicine
- Editorial: Towards more effective FDA premarket review of new tobacco products, Tobacco Control
- Special Communication: FDA’s misplaced priorities: premarket review under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, Tobacco Control
New Reports
FTC Releases Reports on 2013 Cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Sales and Marketing Expenditures, Federal Trade Commission
- Raising the Tobacco Sales Age to 21: Surveying the Legal Landscape, Public Health Reports
- Reducing Youth Tobacco Use: Restricting the Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products, Roosevelt Institute
- Tobacco Retail Licensing Policy: A Health Equity Impact Assessment, Upstream Public Health
- This report examines the potential racial, social, environmental and economic health equity effects of a potential tobacco retail policy and elements of Oregon Senate Bill 417 on Multnomah County communities.
Industry News
- Analyst: Heat-Not-Burn Will Revolutionize Tobacco Industry, Convenience Store News
- Is Minimum Age the New Smoking Ban?, CSP Daily News
- 3 Predictions From Altria’s Management Meetings, CSP
- 3 Takeaways From Reynolds’ Strong 2015, Tobacco E-News
- NATO to Drop Trade Show, Focus on Public Policy Issues, C Store Decisions
POS Policy in the Media
Tobacco21
Chicago City Council Approves Raising Tobacco-Buying Age to 21, NBC Chicago- Gloucester raises age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21, Wicked Local
- Adams County Becomes First in Mississippi to Raise Tobacco Purchase Age, HalfWheel
- Prairie Village raises age for buying tobacco to 21, Kansas City Star
- Bonner Springs raises smoking age to 21, KMBZ
- Solid Tobacco 21|KC campaign gains momentum in area, Kansas City Star
- Plainville raises age for purchase of tobacco products, Sun Chronicle
- Vermont House Votes to Raise Smoking Age, NECN
- Raise cigarette sales age and see: Our view, USA Today
- California Tobacco Regulations Fight Threatened Before Bills Land on Governor’s Desk, HalfWheel
Tobacco Industry Targeting and Disparities
- Tobacco giant gave $250,000 to group representing black-owned newspapers, Center for Public Integrity
- Not Yet Kicked: The Consequences of Big Tobacco’s Targeting of Mentally Ill People, The Influence
- How Tobacco Companies Led at Devastating 50-Year Infiltration Into Black Communities, Huffington Post
E-Cigarettes
- Why US Big Tobacco Lobbies for E-Cigarettes, Vice News
- Americans Say E-Cigs Should Be Regulated Like Tobacco Cigs, Gallup
- N.J. borough wants vape shops to cough up fee to protect youth, NewJersey.com
Vape shop owners bristle over new Indiana regulations, News and Tribune- [Washington] New state rules to govern vape shops and electronic cigarettes, News Tribune
Tobacco Free Pharmacies/Healthy Retail
- Another Big Retailer Is Cutting Back on Selling Tobacco Products,Huffington Post
- Councilman wants to ban NYC pharmacies from selling cigarettes, NY Daily News
- Tobacco Action Coalition of the Finger Lakes recognizes Dobbins Drugs, Wayne Post
- Getting tobacco out of pharmacies, Rutland Herald
Other
- Sonoma County sets price floor for cigarettes, moves to curtail sale to minors, Press Democrat
- Gov. Walker Signs Bill Giving Cities More Control of Tobacco Shops, WDJT Milwaukee
- Dubuque kids taking inventory of corner stores, KWWL
- Local youth evaluate tobacco marketing in Madison County, Madison County Courier
Find more stories in last month’s News and Research Roundup.
Know of a story that we missed? Email us, and we’ll be sure to include it in next month’s roundup!
Last updated October 11, 2023
