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Association between federal and California state policy violation among vape shops and neighbourhood composition in Southern California
  1. Jimi Huh1,
  2. Leah R Meza1,
  3. Ellen Galstyan1,
  4. Artur Galimov1,
  5. Jennifer B Unger1,
  6. Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati1,
  7. Steve Sussman1,2
  1. 1 Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
  2. 2 Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
  1. Correspondence to Dr Jimi Huh, Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA; jimihuh{at}usc.edu

Abstract

Introduction Past studies have documented disparities in regulation compliance among tobacco retailers with respect to ethnic diversity in neighbourhoods. This study investigated the association between compliance with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and California state rules and neighbourhood ethnic composition of a vape shop location.

Methods We recruited 122 vape shops located in ‘ethnic enclave’ neighbourhoods in Southern California. Trained teams of data collectors visited each of the consented vape shops and coded items in the shops that were visible and on display. Location data for the percentages of ethnic composition for a given city were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, American FactFinder. Multilevel logistic regression models examined the relationship between the city-level neighbourhood ethnic composition and vape shop rule violation status: not displaying Ask4ID sign and offering free samples.

Results Vape shops located in neighbourhoods/communities with more white residents were significantly less likely to not display Ask4ID sign (p=0.03) and less likely to offer free sampling (p=0.009), controlling for other neighbourhood ethnic characteristics.

Discussion Greater enforcement for proper signage display is needed for vape shops located in racial/ethnic minority locations to ensure that minors are discouraged from purchasing e-products.

  • public policy
  • environment
  • disparities
  • priority/special populations

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Footnotes

  • Funding Research reported in this publication was supported by a California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program Award (TRDRP Grant #26IR-0016) and a National Cancer Institute and FDA Center for Tobacco Products Award (NCI/FDA Grant #U54CA180905).

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.