Abstract Background Audits of tobacco retail stores can identify marketing patterns as newer tobacco products are introduced in the US. Our study examined store and neighborhood correlates of availability of nicotine pouches and disposable e-cigarettes in four US sites. Methods We conducted standardized store audits of n=242 tobacco retailers in 2021 in different states: New Jersey, Kentucky, North Carolina, and New York. Store audits focused on availability of nicotine pouches and disposable e-cigarettes. We geocoded stores linking them with census tract demographics. We conducted unadjusted and adjusted Poisson regression of availability of each product with correlates of the proportion of Non-Hispanic White residents, households under poverty, proximity to schools, site, and store type. Results Nicotine pouches and disposable e-cigarettes were each available in around half the stores, but availability differed across sites. In adjusted analyses, nicotine pouches were less likely to be available in each store type vs. chain convenience and more likely in stores in census tracts with more non-Hispanic White residents. In contrast, disposable e-cigarettes were more likely to be available in tobacco store/vape shops than convenience stores and less likely in non-specialty store types like groceries. Conclusions The availability of newer tobacco products like nicotine pouches and disposable e-cigarettes were widely available in stores across sites, but retail marketing patterns appear to differ. As these product types become subject to increased regulation as they go through the FDA pre-market authorization process, understanding changes in their retail environment is critical to inform potential policies regulating their sale and marketing.
Tobacco remains a seemingly intractable problem for individuals living with severe and persistent mental illness. This study evaluated the implementation, technical assistance, and perceived impact of a model curriculum ("Learning About Healthy Living") to promote wellness and motivation to quit tobacco use in psychosocial rehabilitation clubhouses. We used semi-structured interviews (n = 9) with clubhouse staff (n = 12) and a survey of participating clubhouse members (n = 271) in nine clubhouses. Fifty-eight percent of clubhouse participants completed surveys. Results showed tobacco users open to tobacco-free policies (62%) and perceiving more discussions about quitting tobacco with healthcare providers (69%). Analyses of staff interviews and member surveys revealed four key themes: (1) the curriculum was successfully implemented and appreciated; (2) technical assistance kept implementation on track; (3) adding wellness content and interactive components should enhance the curriculum; and, (4) the curriculum advanced other healthful policies and practices. Mental health settings are important locations for implementing programs to address tobacco use. In this real-world implementation of a model curriculum in psychosocial rehabilitation clubhouses, the curriculum tested well, was feasible and well-received, and suggests potential impact on tobacco use outcomes. Revision, dissemination, and a randomized controlled trial evaluation of the model curriculum should now occur.
Despite progress against tobacco sales to minors, retailers continue to violate state and federal laws and supply adolescent smokers with tobacco products. Government-sanctioned surveys underestimate the extent of the problem, and retailer associations use these data to block stricter enforcement policies.
Indoor and outdoor tobacco-free campus policies for schools, hospitals and universities are increasingly being adopted. Yet, little direct evidence exists on the impact of tobacco-free campuses on tobacco outcomes.
Objectives
To identify differences in cigarettes smoked at main campus building entrances by campus policy strength.
Methods
Researchers collected cigarette butts (n=3427) at main building entrances (n=67) at baseline and follow-up on 19 community college campuses stratified by strength of campus outdoor tobacco policy (none, perimeter/designated area, 100% tobacco free). Outcome measures included the number of butts per day at building entrances averaged to create a campus score. Analysis of variance techniques examined differences in scores by the strength of campuses9 outdoor tobacco policy.
Results
One hundred per cent tobacco-free community college campuses had significantly fewer cigarette butts at doors than campuses with no outdoor restrictions. Butts on community college campuses with partial policies were not statistically different from campuses with no policy or campuses with a 100% tobacco-free policy but indicated that a dose–response relationship may exist.
Conclusions
This study provides some of the first evidence on the impact of 100% tobacco-free outdoor policies on college campuses using an objective and reproducible measure. Such policies likely provide a more healthful environment for students, staff, faculty and visitors.
Agricultural workers such as migrant and seasonal farmworkers are a population uniquely vulnerable to the negative effects of climate-related disasters. The primary aim of this study was to assess how counties in eastern North Carolina (NC) incorporated best practices related to agricultural workers in emergency preparedness planning. The authors conducted a quantitative content analysis of 47 emergency preparedness plans from 41 eastern NC counties between November 2022 and March 2023. The research team developed a codebook based on recommended best practices from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Farmworker Advocacy Network, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and National Center for Farmworker Health. Best practices included having materials in Spanish language, mapping vulnerable populations, and garnering input from agricultural workers. Of the 47 plans evaluated, most lacked inclusion of agricultural workers in emergency preparedness planning. Furthermore, plans demonstrated few relevant best practices that address agricultural workers' specific challenges in preparation for and recovery from climate-related disasters. Public emergency preparedness plans in eastern NC rarely include mention of recommended best practices related to agricultural workers. Local emergency preparedness officials should consider collaboration with advocacy groups, community health workers, and federal emergency management agencies to build disaster resilience.
Increasing the per-unit cost of tobacco products is one of the strongest interventions for tobacco control. In jurisdictions with higher taxes in the U.S., however, cigarette pack litter studies show a substantial proportion of littered packs lack the appropriate tax stamp. More limited but still present counterfeiting also exists. We sought to examine the role of tobacco retailers as a source for untaxed and counterfeit products. Data collectors purchased Newport Green (menthol) or Marlboro Red cigarette packs in a national probability-based sample of tobacco retailers (in 97 counties) from June-October 2012. They made no effort to buy counterfeit or untaxed cigarettes. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the presence, tax authority, and type (low-tech thermal vs. encrypted) of cigarette pack tax stamps; concordance of tax stamps with where the pack was purchased; and, for Marlboro cigarettes, publicly available visible indicators of counterfeiting. We purchased 2147 packs of which 2033 had tax stamps. Packs missing stamps were in states that do not require them. We found very limited discordance between store location and tax stamp(s) (< 1%). However, a substantial minority of cigarette packs had damaged tax stamps (13%). This occurred entirely with low-tech tax stamps and was not identified with encrypted tax stamps. We found no clear evidence of counterfeit products. Almost all tax stamps matched the location of purchase. Litter studies may be picking up legal tax avoidance instead of illegal tax evasion or, alternatively, purchase of illicit products requires special request by the purchaser.
The retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) are the major viral RNA sensors that are essential for activation of antiviral immune responses. However, their roles in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-causing coronavirus (CoV) infection are largely unknown. Herein we investigate their functions in human epithelial cells, the primary and initial target of SARS-CoV-2, and the first line of host defense. A deficiency in MDA5 (*MDA5*^−/−^), RIG-I or mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) greatly enhanced viral replication. Expression of the type I/III interferons (IFN) was upregulated following infection in wild-type cells, while this upregulation was severely abolished in *MDA5*^−/−^ and *MAVS*^−/−^, but not in *RIG-I*^−/−^ cells. Of note, ACE2 expression was \~2.5 fold higher in *RIG-I*^−/−^ than WT cells. These data demonstrate a dominant role of MDA5 in activating the type I/III IFN response to SARS-CoV-2, and an IFN-independent anti-SARS-CoV-2 role of RIG-I.
We systematically reviewed evidence of disparities in tobacco marketing at tobacco retailers by sociodemographic neighborhood characteristics. We identified 43 relevant articles from 893 results of a systematic search in 10 databases updated May 28, 2014. We found 148 associations of marketing (price, placement, promotion, or product availability) with a neighborhood demographic of interest (socioeconomic disadvantage,race,ethnicity, andurbanicity). Neighborhoods with lower income have more tobacco marketing. There is more menthol marketing targeting urban neighborhoods and neighborhoods with more Black residents. Smokeless tobacco productsare targeted more toward rural neighborhoods and neighborhoods with more White residents. Differences in store type partially explain these disparities. There are more inducements to start and continue smoking in lower-income neighborhoods and in neighborhoods with more Black residents.Retailermarketing may contribute to disparities in tobacco use. Clinicians should be aware of the pervasiveness of these environmental cues. (Am J Public Health. 2015;105: e8‐e18. doi:10.2105/AJPH.
