September 2019 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

Flavored Tobacco Products

A discarded cigar package survey in New York City: indicators of non-compliance with local flavoured tobacco restrictions, Tobacco Control
- flavored cigars
  
  Researchers evaluated potential non-compliance with a 2009 New York City ban on the sale of flavored non-cigarette tobacco products by surveying discarded cigar, cigarillo, and blunt wrappers. From August to October 2016, research staff collected 886 packages over 94 blocks and found that 1 in 5 was explicitly flavored (e.g. Grape, “Sweet”) and 1 in 3 was explicitly or implicitly/concept flavored (e.g. Blue-Mixx), highlighting the prevalence of flavored cigars in Manhattan despite the policy reducing their sale. Learn more about flavored tobacco products.
Modelling the impact of menthol sales restrictions and retailer density reduction policies: insights from tobacco town Minnesota, Tobacco Control
- Using simulations, researchers projected the impact of tobacco control policies on increasing the direct and indirect costs of purchasing tobacco products; they found that limiting the sale of all cigarettes or solely menthol cigarettes to tobacco specialty shops could have the greatest effect on total costs of the products, though passing this policy in conjunction with one to reduce retailer density would likely heighten the impact and potentially equalize costs across communities and populations. Learn more about retailer density restrictions.

Licensing and Retailer Density

Retail outlets prompt associative memories linked to the repeated use of nicotine and tobacco products among alternative high school students in California, Addictive Behaviors
- A cohort study of students from alternative high schools in California found that images of tobacco retail outlets such as gas stations, convenience stores, and liquor stores prompted implicit associations in memory that increased students’ repeated use of tobacco products, suggesting tobacco retail outlets may act as environmental cues that trigger tobacco use. Learn more about restricting the number and location of retail outlets.
Understanding why some Australian retailers have stopped selling tobacco, some might and some are unlikely, Tobacco Control
- In Australia, researchers interviewed managers of randomly selected retailers that would typically sell tobacco to evaluate reasons for discontinued or continued sale of tobacco products. The most common reasons for both continued and discontinued sale were related to profits and other financial reasons, though some evidence also suggested tobacco regulations encouraged some retailers to discontinue the sale of tobacco; researchers have used these findings to suggest that fee-based annual licenses may reduce tobacco retailer prevalence by prompting retailers to reconsider their decision to sell tobacco products on an annual basis. Learn more about tobacco retailer licensing.

E-Cigarettes

flavored e-cigs

Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Marketing and Initiation Amoung Youth and Young Adults, Pediatrics
- A longitudinal cohort study of youth (ages 12-17 years) and young adults (ages 18-29 years) found that, in both age groups, recall of retail store-based ENDS marketing was associated with higher odds of ENDS initiation up to 2.5 years later; as well, recall of ENDS-related marketing on television was associated with subsequent ENDS use in young adults. Learn more about e-cigarettes at the point of sale.
- News story: Study: Teens more likely to vape after seeing store ads, AAP News
The role of flavors in vaping initiation and satisfaction among U.S. adults, Addictive Behaviors
- An online quantitative survey conducted in 2016 found that nearly two-thirds of current e-cigarette users in the sample used flavors other than tobacco, and that flavored products were a common reason for vaping initiation. Flavors, particularly fruit flavors, were more likely to motivate initiation in young adults (18-24 years of age) than older adults (35-44 years of age); as well, those who vaped flavored products had higher odds of both reporting high vaping satisfaction and self-perceived vaping addiction. Learn more about e-cigarettes at the point of sale.
- News story: Study finds flavors play a role in initiation, addiction to e-cigarette use, Medical Xpress