News and Research Roundup – Counter Tobacco

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

Youth Exposure to POS Marketing

Sociodemographic Disparities in Proximity of Schools to Tobacco Outlets and Fast-Food Restaurants, American Journal of Public Health
- More tobacco outlets were located near schools with greater numbers of Black, Hispanic, and low-income students compared to schools with greater numbers of White students. More fast food outlets were located near schools with greater numbers of Hispanic and low-income students. Every 10% increase in the number of low-income and Hispanic students enrolled in a school led a 3% to 5% increase in the odds of the school having both a fast-food restaurant and a tobacco outlet nearby
- News Story: Tobacco, fast food in easier reach of minority and low-income students, Reuters
- Learn more about disparities in retailer density.
Point-of-Sale Tobacco Marketing to Youth in New York State, Journal of Adolescent Health
- According to data from the 2011 New York Retail Advertising Tobacco Study (RATS) and 2010 census data, retailers located in neighborhoods with a greater proportion of youth residents were more likely to offer menthol (Newport Green) price promotions (reduced price or buy-one-get-one-free offers) compared to retailers located in neighborhoods with a lower proportion of youth residents. The authors suggest that bans on the sale of flavored products, including menthol and price discount bans could help reduce youth exposure to tobacco marketing and ultimately reduce youth smoking.
- Learn more about tobacco marketing to youth.

Disparities

Disparities in Adult Cigarette Smoking – United States, 2002-2005 and 2010-2013, CDC MMWR
- News Story: Smoking Rates Still High in Some Racial Groups, CDC Reports, HealthDay
- Learn more about disparities in point of sale advertising and retailer density.
Framing social determinants of health within the professional public health community: research translation and implications for policy change, Journal of Applied Communication Research

POS Health Warnings

The impact of strengthening cigarette pack warnings: Systematic review of longitudinal observational studies, Social Science & Medicine
- In countries that strengthened their health warnings on cigarette packs, knowledge increased in all 12 studies, and quit line calls increased in 4 out of 6 studies, and smoking prevalence decreased in 6 out of 9 studies.
- Learn more about POS Health Warnings.
  Menthol Cigarettes and Blue E-Cig Ads