A tale of two cities: exploring the retail impact of flavoured tobacco restrictions in the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota

Tob Control. 2019 Mar;28(2):176-180. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-054154. Epub 2018 Jun 6.

Abstract

Background: Flavoured tobacco is increasingly popular with youth. The twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota restricted the sale of flavoured tobacco to adult-only tobacco shops in an effort to reduce youth access and exposure to these products. This observational study explores the impact of these policies on the retail environment.

Methods: Between November 2015 and April 2017, observational assessments were conducted at convenience and grocery stores preimplementation and postimplementation of flavoured tobacco restrictions in Minneapolis (n=41), Saint Paul (n=37) and the comparison city of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota (n=14).

Results: After policy implementation, significantly fewer of the convenience and grocery stores sold flavoured tobacco in Minneapolis (85.4% vs 39.0%, p<0.001, n=41) and Saint Paul (97.3% vs 8.1%, p<0.001, n=37). The average proportion of tobacco inventory that was unflavoured increased significantly in Minneapolis (42.9%±2.7% vs 56.7%±3.1%, p=0.002) and Saint Paul (40.8%±2.5% vs 70.3%±1.9%, p<0.001). Flavoured tobacco was available at significantly fewer convenience and grocery stores in Minneapolis (39.0%, p<0.001) and Saint Paul (8.1%, p<0.001) than in the comparison city of Brooklyn Park (100%, n=14). Most retailers complied with these policies by removing flavoured tobacco from their shelves.

Conclusions: Policies that restrict the sale of flavoured tobacco to adult-only tobacco shops are associated with decreased availability of flavoured tobacco in convenience and grocery stores and increased proportion of tobacco inventory that is unflavoured.

Keywords: public policy; tobacco industry.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Cities / statistics & numerical data
  • Commerce / statistics & numerical data*
  • Commerce / trends
  • Flavoring Agents*
  • Humans
  • Minnesota
  • Policy*
  • Tobacco Products / economics*

Substances

  • Flavoring Agents