Flavored Tobacco Sales Restrictions and Youth E-cigarette Behavior: Impact by Tobacco Retailer Density in Diverse Communities in California

Abstract

Introduction Factors that impact flavored tobacco sales restriction (flavor restrictions) effectiveness on youth e-cigarette behavior are unclear. Tobacco retailer density (retailer density) is a health equity issue with greater retailer density in high-minority, low-income areas. We examined the association between flavor restrictions and youth e-cigarette behavior by retailer density across diverse communities in the California Bay Area. Aims and Methods We analyzed data from the California Healthy Kids Survey using a difference-in-differences (DID) strategy. We compared pre- and post-policy changes in e-cigarette access and use one-year post-implementation among high school students in the Bay Area with a flavor restriction (n = 20 832) versus without (n = 66 126). Separate analyses were conducted for students in cities with low and high retailer density, with a median cutoff of 3.3 tobacco retailers/square mile. Results Students with high retailer density were more likely to identify as a minority and have parents with lower education. Among students with low retailer density, flavor restrictions were associated with 24% lower odds in the pre- to post-policy increase in ease of access relative to unexposed students (DID = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.99). Among students with high retailer density, flavor restrictions were associated with 26% higher odds in ease of access (DID: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.56) and 57% higher odds of current use (DID = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.31, 1.87). Conclusions Flavor restrictions had positive impacts on youth e-cigarette access in low, but not high retailer density cities. From a health equity perspective, our results underscore how flavor restrictions may have uneven effects among vulnerable groups. Implications In diverse communities in the California Bay Area, our results suggest a protective association between flavored tobacco sales restrictions and youth access to e-cigarettes in low, but not high tobacco retailer density cities one-year post-implementation. These results underscore how flavor restrictions may have uneven effects, and when implemented in high retailer density areas, may disproportionately place already vulnerable groups at heightened exposure to e-cigarette use and access. In high retailer density areas, additional tobacco control efforts may need to be included with flavor restriction implementation, such as increased education, youth prevention and cessation programs, policies to reduce tobacco retailer density, or stronger tobacco retailer enforcement or compliance monitoring.