May 2023 News and Research Roundup

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

Variation in adults’ use of flavored tobacco products by sales restrictions in California jurisdictions, International Journal of Drug Policy
- This study determines the effects of state and local flavored tobacco sales restrictions (FTSR) on use rates of flavored tobacco products. The researchers used data from the 2019-2020 California Health Interview Surveys to estimate tobacco use among 43,681 adult California residents in areas with a comprehensive, partial, or no FTSR. The results showed approximately 22% of those surveyed were under a partial or comprehensive FTSR by December 2020, and those under comprehensive bans had 30% lower odds of using any flavored tobacco. This data reinforces the importance of comprehensive restrictions. With exemptions (like for hookah) in California’s statewide FTSR, local jurisdictions are key in enacting comprehensive FTSRs to help reduce use of flavored tobacco products
- Learn more about flavored tobacco bans

Examining the Comprehensiveness of Amended Flavored Tobacco Product Sales Restrictions, Journal of Public Health Management & Practice
- This study looked at how retailer, product, and flavor amendments to flavored tobacco product sales restrictions affect policy comprehensiveness. State and local restrictions were classified based on having at least one amendment and a 6-level classification scheme. The results showed that as of March 2022, no states and 50 localities amended their restrictions. Nearly all the amendments increased policy comprehensiveness such as removing menthol and adult-only retailer exemptions. While it is important to aim towards comprehensiveness upon initial policy enactment, amendments are a way to strengthen existing restrictions and should be a consideration during policy evaluation efforts.

Adolescent and Young Adult Response to Hypothetical E-Liquid Flavor Restrictions, Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
- News Article: Restricting flavored e-cigarettes may reduce their use among teens and young adults: Study, EurekAlert
- This study examined the impact of restricting flavored e-liquids on intentions to stop vaping among adolescents and young adults (AYAs). Using a national cross-sectional survey, in August 2020, 1,414 AYA e-cigarette users aged 14-21 were surveyed on their e-cigarette use by frequency, device, flavor preferences and level of dependance, and on their intention to discontinue use in response to hypothetical product standards limiting flavors. Disposable e-cigarettes were the most commonly used type. “Fruit” was the preferred flavor, and those who preferred “fruit” had higher odds of discontinuing e-cigarette use compared to other flavors. Most (70.8%) AYAs cited they would discontinue e-cigarette use under a tobacco-only product standard. If this self-reported feedback extends to actual behavior in the natural environment, policies to restrict flavored e-cigarettes can shift e-cigarette use patterns.