Objective Neighborhood socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities exist in the amount and type of tobacco marketing at retail, but most studies are limited to a single city or state, and few have examined flavored little cigars. Our purpose is to describe tobacco product availability, marketing, and promotions in a national sample of retail stores and to examine associations with neighborhood characteristics. Methods At a national sample of 2,230 tobacco retailers in the contiguous US, we collected in-person store audit data on: Availability of products (e.g., flavored cigars), quantity of interior and exterior tobacco marketing, presence of price promotions, and marketing with youth appeal. Observational data were matched to census tract demographics. Results Over 95% of stores displayed tobacco marketing; the average store featured 29.5 marketing materials. 75.1% of stores displayed at least one tobacco product price promotion, including 87.2% of gas/convenience stores and 85.5% of pharmacies. 16.8% of stores featured marketing below three feet, and 81.3% of stores sold flavored cigars, both of which appeal to youth. Stores in neighborhoods with the highest (vs. lowest) concentration of African-American residents had more than two times greater odds of displaying a price promotion (OR=2.1) and selling flavored cigars (OR=2.6). Price promotions were also more common in stores located in neighborhoods with more residents under age 18. Conclusions and relevance Tobacco companies use retail marketing extensively to promote their products to current customers and youth, with disproportionate targeting of African Americans. Local, state, and federal policies are needed to counteract this unhealthy retail environment.

Objectives To assess the quality of evidence on the effectiveness of local US laws restricting the sale of flavored tobacco products. Methods We conducted a systematic search and qualitative scoping review of English-language papers published through May 2020 that evaluated flavored tobacco sales policies implemented by US jurisdictions during 2010-2019. We constructed a conceptual model for flavored and menthol tobacco sales restriction outcomes, assigned GRADE quality of evidence ratings to policy outcomes evaluated through the included studies, and summarized factors that might explain weak or inconsistent findings. Results We found moderate to high quality of evidence associating policy implementation with reduced availability, marketing, and sales of policy-restricted products, and decreased youth and adult tobacco use of these products; however, policy exclusions and exemptions, implementation challenges, tobacco industry actions (e.g., marketing of concept-named flavored products; exploiting policy exemptions for certain store types), and consumer responses (e.g., cross-border or illicit purchasing) might undermine or mitigate intended policy effects. Conclusions Flavored and menthol tobacco product sales restrictions implemented and evaluated in US jurisdictions appear to have achieved some of their intended outcomes; however, deficiencies in study designs, methods, and metrics could contribute to equivocal findings on quality of evidence associating policy implementation and outcomes. Gaps in the evidence are beginning to be filled with research using more rigorous study designs, improved measurement and analytic methods, and longer-term follow-up. Implications In the absence of comprehensive federal action, US jurisdictions have the obligation to restrict flavored and menthol product sales to protect vulnerable populations from tobacco-related harms. The considerable expenditure of financial resources, political will, and time dedicated to policy adoption and implementation argue for evaluation studies designed to maximize the quality of evidence. This review offers generalizable insights into evaluation findings that can inform efforts to enhance tobacco control policy implementation and impact in the US and globally.

IntroductionOn 3 January, 2013, the city of Providence, Rhode Island, began enforcing a restriction on the retail sale of all non-cigarette tobacco products with a characterising flavour other than tobacco, menthol, mint or wintergreen. We assessed the policy impact on cigar sales—which comprise 95% of flavoured non-cigarette tobacco products sold through conventional tobacco retail outlets (eg, convenience stores, supermarkets) in Providence—over time and in comparison to the rest of the state (ROS).MethodsWeekly retail scanner sales data were obtained for January 2012 to December 2016. Cigar sales were categorised into products labelled with explicit-flavour (eg, Cherry) or concept-flavour (eg, Jazz) names. Regression models assessed changes in prepolicy and postpolicy sales in Providence and ROS.ResultsAverage weekly unit sales of flavoured cigars decreased prepolicy to postpolicy by 51% in Providence, while sales increased by 10% in ROS (both p<0.01). The Providence results are due to a 93% reduction in sales of cigars labelled with explicit-flavour names (p<0.01), which did not change significantly in ROS. Sales of cigars labelled with concept-flavour names increased by 74% in Providence and 119% in ROS (both p<0.01). Sales of all cigars—flavoured and otherwise—decreased by 31% in Providence (p<0.01). We detected some evidence of product substitution and cross-border purchasing.ConclusionsThe Providence policy had a city-specific impact on retail sales of flavoured cigars, which was attenuated by an increase in sales of concept flavour-named cigars. Products with concept-flavour names may avoid enforcement agency detection, and their continued sale undermines the intent of the policy.

ObjectiveSan Francisco’s comprehensive restriction on flavoured tobacco sales applies to all flavours (including menthol), all products and all retailers (without exemptions). This study evaluates associations of policy implementation with changes in tobacco sales in San Francisco and in two California cities without any sales restriction.MethodsUsing weekly retail sales data (July 2015 through December 2019), we computed sales volume in equivalent units within product categories and the proportion of flavoured tobacco. An interrupted time series analysis estimated within-city changes associated with the policy’s effective and enforcement dates, separately by product category for San Francisco and comparison cities, San Jose and San Diego.ResultsPredicted average weekly flavoured tobacco sales decreased by 96% from before the policy to after enforcement (p<0.05), and to very low levels across all products, including cigars with concept-flavour names (eg, Jazz). Average weekly flavoured tobacco sales did not change in San Jose and decreased by 10% in San Diego (p<0.05). Total tobacco sales decreased by 25% in San Francisco, 8% in San Jose and 17% in San Diego (each, p<0.05).ConclusionsSan Francisco’s comprehensive restriction virtually eliminated flavoured tobacco sales and decreased total tobacco sales in mainstream retailers. Unlike other US flavoured tobacco policy evaluations, there was no evidence of substitution to concept–flavour named products. Results may be attributed to San Francisco Department of Health’s self-education and rigorous retailer education, as well as the law’s rebuttable presumption of a product as flavoured based on manufacturer communication.

Background Uptake of HPV vaccine remains low among adolescents in the United States. We sought to assess barriers to HPV vaccine provision in school health centers to inform subsequent interventions. Methods We conducted structured interviews in Fall 2010 with staff from all 33 school health centers in North Carolina that stocked HPV vaccine. Results Centers had heterogeneous policies and procedures. Out-of-pocket costs for children to receive privately-purchased HPV vaccine were a key barrier to providing HPV vaccine within school health centers. Other barriers included students not returning consent forms, costs to clinics of ordering and stocking privately-purchased HPV vaccine, and difficulty using the statewide immunization registry. Most (82%) school health centers were interested in hosting interventions to increase HPV vaccine uptake, especially those that the centers could implement themselves, but many had limited staff to support such efforts. Activities rated as more likely to raise HPV vaccine uptake were student incentives, parent reminders, and obtaining consent from parents while they are at school (all p < .05). Conclusions While school health centers reported facing several key barriers to providing HPV vaccine, many were interested in partnering with outside organizations on low-cost interventions to increase HPV vaccine uptake among adolescent students.