What happens after menthol cigarette bans are enacted
This diagram demonstrates the direct and distal effects of a menthol cigarette ban over time. Comprehensive restrictions on menthol tobacco products increase retailer compliance, consumer risk perceptions, and cessation efforts, while also reducing the availability of menthol cigarettes. It traces pathways where menthol bans reduce the availability of menthol cigarettes and lower menthol cigarette use, associated with reduced nicotine dependence and poor health outcomes such as smoking-attributable mortality. By examining these effects, stakeholders can pair bans with robust public support, wide coverage and enforcement of restricted products, and timely smoking cessation support to maximize public health benefits.
Cited references
Facilitators included strong city council support, leadership from impacted communities, community awareness-building campaigns, and understanding tobacco industry counter-tactics
Bosma, L. M., D’Silva, J., Moze, J., Matter, C., Kingsbury, J. H., & Brock, B. (2021). Restricting Sales of Menthol Tobacco Products: Lessons Learned from Policy Passage and Implementation in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth, Minnesota. Health Equity, 5(1), 439–447. https://doi.org/10.1089/heq.2020.0137
Facilitators included strong city council support, leadership from impacted communities, community awareness-building campaigns, and understanding tobacco industry counter-tactics
Bosma, L. M., D’Silva, J., Moze, J., Matter, C., Kingsbury, J. H., & Brock, B. (2021). Restricting Sales of Menthol Tobacco Products: Lessons Learned from Policy Passage and Implementation in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth, Minnesota. Health Equity, 5(1), 439–447. https://doi.org/10.1089/heq.2020.0137
Facilitators included strong city council support, leadership from impacted communities, community awareness-building campaigns, and understanding tobacco industry counter-tactics
Bosma, L. M., D’Silva, J., Moze, J., Matter, C., Kingsbury, J. H., & Brock, B. (2021). Restricting Sales of Menthol Tobacco Products: Lessons Learned from Policy Passage and Implementation in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth, Minnesota. Health Equity, 5(1), 439–447. https://doi.org/10.1089/heq.2020.0137
Facilitators included strong city council support, leadership from impacted communities, community awareness-building campaigns, and understanding tobacco industry counter-tactics
Bosma, L. M., D’Silva, J., Moze, J., Matter, C., Kingsbury, J. H., & Brock, B. (2021). Restricting Sales of Menthol Tobacco Products: Lessons Learned from Policy Passage and Implementation in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth, Minnesota. Health Equity, 5(1), 439–447. https://doi.org/10.1089/heq.2020.0137
Of 539 local jurisdictions in California, 24 cities or counties had adopted a local flavor ordinance by January 1, 2019, which represents an 11-fold increase from two jurisdictions that adopted ordinances prior to the April 2015 campaign start. The first comprehensive flavor ordinance was adopted by Unincorporated Yolo County in October 2016. By the end of 2017, only two comprehensive flavor ordinances had been adopted in California. In 2018, four more comprehensive ordinances passed, so that by January 1, 2019, one in four local flavor ordinances were comprehensive (see Table 2).
Andersen-Rodgers, E., Zhang, X., Vuong, T. D., Hendrix, L., Edora, C., Williams, R. J., Groves, L., Roeseler, A., Rogers, T., Voelker, D. H., Schleicher, N. C., Johnson, T. O., & Henriksen, L. (2021). Are California’s Local Flavored Tobacco Sales Restrictions Effective in Reducing the Retail Availability of Flavored Tobacco Products? A Multicomponent Evaluation. Evaluation Review, 45(3–4), 134–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193841X211051873
While products with ambiguous flavor names were also significantly less prevalent in flavor ordinance jurisdictions compared to matched no-ordinance jurisdictions (cigarillo/cigar wraps: 53.9% vs. 78.1%)
Andersen-Rodgers, E., Zhang, X., Vuong, T. D., Hendrix, L., Edora, C., Williams, R. J., Groves, L., Roeseler, A., Rogers, T., Voelker, D. H., Schleicher, N. C., Johnson, T. O., & Henriksen, L. (2021). Are California’s Local Flavored Tobacco Sales Restrictions Effective in Reducing the Retail Availability of Flavored Tobacco Products? A Multicomponent Evaluation. Evaluation Review, 45(3–4), 134–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193841X211051873
They did another round of data gathering in Minneapolis (but not St Paul) because compliance with new ban was so bad
Brock, B., Carlson, S. C., Leizinger, A., D’Silva, J., Matter, C. M., & Schillo, B. A. (2019). A tale of two cities: exploring the retail impact of flavoured tobacco restrictions in the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. Tobacco Control, 28(2), 176–180. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-054154
In Minneapolis between rounds 1 and 3, there was a significant reduction in the per cent of stores that sold tobacco with ambiguous flavours names such as ‘TaTa’ and ‘Blue’ (80.5% vs 61.5%)
Brock, B., Carlson, S. C., Leizinger, A., D’Silva, J., Matter, C. M., & Schillo, B. A. (2019). A tale of two cities: exploring the retail impact of flavoured tobacco restrictions in the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. Tobacco Control, 28(2), 176–180. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-054154
In Saint Paul, there was no significant change in the per cent of stores that sold products with ambiguous flavour names (67.6% vs 81.1%).
Brock, B., Carlson, S. C., Leizinger, A., D’Silva, J., Matter, C. M., & Schillo, B. A. (2019). A tale of two cities: exploring the retail impact of flavoured tobacco restrictions in the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. Tobacco Control, 28(2), 176–180. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-054154
In Minneapolis between rounds 1 and 2, the average per cent of flavoured tobacco inventory per store decreased significantly while the average per cent of unflavoured tobacco inventory increased significantly
Brock, B., Carlson, S. C., Leizinger, A., D’Silva, J., Matter, C. M., & Schillo, B. A. (2019). A tale of two cities: exploring the retail impact of flavoured tobacco restrictions in the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. Tobacco Control, 28(2), 176–180. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-054154
In Saint Paul, the average percentages of flavoured and menthol tobacco inventory per store decreased significantly between rounds 1 and 2 while the percentage of unflavoured tobacco inventory increased.
Brock, B., Carlson, S. C., Leizinger, A., D’Silva, J., Matter, C. M., & Schillo, B. A. (2019). A tale of two cities: exploring the retail impact of flavoured tobacco restrictions in the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. Tobacco Control, 28(2), 176–180. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-054154
In addition, the NYC Department of Finance’s (DOF) Sheriff’s Office regularly inspected tobacco retailers for compliance with the city’s cigarette excise tax, including searches of retailers’ premises for hidden packs of untaxed cigarettes. Stakeholders reported that DOF found flavored cigars hidden with untaxed cigarettes
Brown, E. M., Rogers, T., Eggers, M. E., Cavazos, M. L., O’Brien, M. S., McCrae, T., Farley, S. M., & Schroth, K. R. J. (2019). Implementation of the New York City Policy Restricting Sales of Flavored Non-Cigarette Tobacco Products. Health Education & Behavior, 46(5), 782–789. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198119853608
No products with ambiguous names or replacement menthol tobacco were observed in the overall sample.
D’Silva, J., Moze, J., Kingsbury, J. H., Lien, R. K., Matter, C. M., Brock, B., & Akom, A. (2021). Local sales restrictions significantly reduce the availability of menthol tobacco: findings from four Minnesota cities. Tobacco Control, 30(5), 492–497. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055577
No products with ambiguous names or replacement menthol tobacco were observed in the overall sample.
D’Silva, J., Moze, J., Kingsbury, J. H., Lien, R. K., Matter, C. M., Brock, B., & Akom, A. (2021). Local sales restrictions significantly reduce the availability of menthol tobacco: findings from four Minnesota cities. Tobacco Control, 30(5), 492–497. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055577
A total of 7458 tobacco retail licenses were issued during October 2018-August 2019 (pre-flavor ban period), and a total of 7026 tobacco retail licenses were issued during October 2020-August 2021 (post-flavor ban period), representing an overall 5.8% decline in licenses.
Nali, M. C., Purushothaman, V., Li, Z., Cuomo, R., & Mackey, T. K. (2023). Assessing the Impact of the Massachusetts Temporary Flavor Ban on Licensed Tobacco Retailers. Tobacco Use Insights, 16, 1179173X231192821. https://doi.org/10.1177/1179173X231192821
While the number of existing retailers that were issued renewed licenses increased by 9.5% (5627 during October 2018-August 2019 and 6163 during October 2020-August 2021)
Nali, M. C., Purushothaman, V., Li, Z., Cuomo, R., & Mackey, T. K. (2023). Assessing the Impact of the Massachusetts Temporary Flavor Ban on Licensed Tobacco Retailers. Tobacco Use Insights, 16, 1179173X231192821. https://doi.org/10.1177/1179173X231192821
the number of new tobacco retail licenses issued decreased by 52.9% (1831 during October 2018- August 2019 and 863 during October 2020-August 2021).
Nali, M. C., Purushothaman, V., Li, Z., Cuomo, R., & Mackey, T. K. (2023). Assessing the Impact of the Massachusetts Temporary Flavor Ban on Licensed Tobacco Retailers. Tobacco Use Insights, 16, 1179173X231192821. https://doi.org/10.1177/1179173X231192821
Overall, the decrease in total tobacco retail license density across counties in the state of Massachusetts was 7.78 per 100,000 population.
Nali, M. C., Purushothaman, V., Li, Z., Cuomo, R., & Mackey, T. K. (2023). Assessing the Impact of the Massachusetts Temporary Flavor Ban on Licensed Tobacco Retailers. Tobacco Use Insights, 16, 1179173X231192821. https://doi.org/10.1177/1179173X231192821
Overall, the decrease in new tobacco retail license density across counties in the state of Massachusetts was 17.15 per 100,000 population.
Nali, M. C., Purushothaman, V., Li, Z., Cuomo, R., & Mackey, T. K. (2023). Assessing the Impact of the Massachusetts Temporary Flavor Ban on Licensed Tobacco Retailers. Tobacco Use Insights, 16, 1179173X231192821. https://doi.org/10.1177/1179173X231192821
Between the first and last rounds of compliance checks, violations for sale of tobacco to a minor decreased by 12 percentage points to 2%
Pearlman, D. N., Arnold, J. A., Guardino, G. A., & Welsh, E. B. (2019). Advancing Tobacco Control Through Point of Sale Policies, Providence, Rhode Island. Preventing Chronic Disease, 16, 180614. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd16.180614
In Providence, trends in the percentage of unique explicit-named flavoured cigarillo UPCs (‘sales share’) appear to drop from the prepolicy to the postpolicy period while trends in the share of concept-named and tobacco flavoured cigarillo UPCs appear to increase over these periods
Rogers, T., Gammon, D. G., Coats, E. M., Nonnemaker, J. M., & Xu, X. (2022). Changes in cigarillo availability following implementation of a local flavoured tobacco sales restriction. Tobacco Control, 31(6), 707–713. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-056229
Our analysis revealed no association between policy implementation and changes in the number of or trends in available tobacco-named cigarillo UPCs
Rogers, T., Gammon, D. G., Coats, E. M., Nonnemaker, J. M., & Xu, X. (2022). Changes in cigarillo availability following implementation of a local flavoured tobacco sales restriction. Tobacco Control, 31(6), 707–713. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-056229
Compared with a national comprehensive FTP retailer ban, which would eliminate FTP sales, a tobacco specialty store only exemption, on average, would result in 6.02% of FTP retailers (0.23 FTP retailers per square mile) remaining per Census tract. If both tobacco specialty stores and alcohol outlets were exempt, on average 14.25% of FTP retailers (0.57 FTP retailers per square mile) would remain per Census tract.
Schillo, B. A., Benson, A. F., Czaplicki, L., Anesetti-Rothermel, A., Kierstead, E. C., Simpson, R., Phelps, N. C., Herman, P., Zhao, C., & Rose, S. W. (2020). Modelling retailer-based exemptions in flavoured tobacco sales restrictions: national estimates on the impact of product availability. BMJ Open, 10(11), e040490. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040490
If no FTP sales restrictions existed nationwide (ie, ‘status quo’), the overall FTP availability across Census tracts was 20.88 per 100000 total population (figure 1A). Under a national FTP sales restriction that exempts tobacco specialty stores only, the average FTP availability across Census tracts would reduce to 1.49 FTP retailers per 100000 population (figure 1B). Exempting both tobacco specialty stores and alcohol outlets would result in an average of 3.77 FTP retailers per 100000 population
Schillo, B. A., Benson, A. F., Czaplicki, L., Anesetti-Rothermel, A., Kierstead, E. C., Simpson, R., Phelps, N. C., Herman, P., Zhao, C., & Rose, S. W. (2020). Modelling retailer-based exemptions in flavoured tobacco sales restrictions: national estimates on the impact of product availability. BMJ Open, 10(11), e040490. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040490
If no FTP sales restrictions existed nationwide (ie, ‘status quo’), the overall FTP availability across Census tracts was 20.88 per 100000 total population (figure 1A). Under a national FTP sales restriction that exempts tobacco specialty stores only, the average FTP availability across Census tracts would reduce to 1.49 FTP retailers per 100000 population (figure 1B). Exempting both tobacco specialty stores and alcohol outlets would result in an average of 3.77 FTP retailers per 100000 population
Schillo, B. A., Benson, A. F., Czaplicki, L., Anesetti-Rothermel, A., Kierstead, E. C., Simpson, R., Phelps, N. C., Herman, P., Zhao, C., & Rose, S. W. (2020). Modelling retailer-based exemptions in flavoured tobacco sales restrictions: national estimates on the impact of product availability. BMJ Open, 10(11), e040490. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040490
When stratifying by store type, there was a statistically significant greater decrease in any FTP availability among policy-area convenience stores than among comparison-area convenience stores (p
Slater, S., Pugach, O., Rogers, T., Barker, D. C., Ross, A., Tworek, C., Ridgeway, W., Dart, L., & Engstrom, M. C. (2023). Changes in Retail Tobacco Product Availability Following a Chicago City Ordinance Restricting Sales of Menthol and Other Flavored Tobacco Products Near Schools. Health Education & Behavior, 50(5), 693–702. https://doi.org/10.1177/10901981231168872
However, event study analysis showed increases in each NRT product sales in two quarters before the policy change in Massachusetts, indicating preintervention increases in NRT product sales (online supplemental figure S2).
Asare, S., Xue, Z., Bandi, P., Westmaas, J. L., Jemal, A., & Nargis, N. (2024). Association of nicotine replacement therapy product sales with menthol cigarette sales restriction in Massachusetts. Tobacco Control, 33(6), 813–816. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc-2023-057942
Compared with the comparison states, the unadjusted 4-week NRT product sales per 1000 adults who smoke cigarettes in Massachusetts increased by 505.10 (95% CI 83.01 to 927.19; p=0.02) pieces for gums
Asare, S., Xue, Z., Bandi, P., Westmaas, J. L., Jemal, A., & Nargis, N. (2024). Association of nicotine replacement therapy product sales with menthol cigarette sales restriction in Massachusetts. Tobacco Control, 33(6), 813–816. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc-2023-057942
Compared with the comparison states, the unadjusted 4-week NRT product sales per 1000 adults who smoke cigarettes in Massachusetts increased by 505.10 (95% CI 83.01 to 927.19; p=0.02) pieces for gums and 393.96 (95% CI 175.01 to 612.90; p
Asare, S., Xue, Z., Bandi, P., Westmaas, J. L., Jemal, A., & Nargis, N. (2024). Association of nicotine replacement therapy product sales with menthol cigarette sales restriction in Massachusetts. Tobacco Control, 33(6), 813–816. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc-2023-057942
The adjusted 4-week NRT product sales per 1000 adults who smoke cigarettes in Massachusetts compared with the comparison states increased by 643.11 (95% CI 365.33 to 920.89; p
Asare, S., Xue, Z., Bandi, P., Westmaas, J. L., Jemal, A., & Nargis, N. (2024). Association of nicotine replacement therapy product sales with menthol cigarette sales restriction in Massachusetts. Tobacco Control, 33(6), 813–816. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc-2023-057942
The adjusted 4-week NRT product sales per 1000 adults who smoke cigarettes in Massachusetts compared with the comparison states increased by 643.11 (95% CI 365.33 to 920.89; p
Asare, S., Xue, Z., Bandi, P., Westmaas, J. L., Jemal, A., & Nargis, N. (2024). Association of nicotine replacement therapy product sales with menthol cigarette sales restriction in Massachusetts. Tobacco Control, 33(6), 813–816. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc-2023-057942
There was no statistically significant change in patch NRT sales per 1000 adults who smoke cigarettes in Massachusetts compared with the comparison states after the policy was implemented.
Asare, S., Xue, Z., Bandi, P., Westmaas, J. L., Jemal, A., & Nargis, N. (2024). Association of nicotine replacement therapy product sales with menthol cigarette sales restriction in Massachusetts. Tobacco Control, 33(6), 813–816. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc-2023-057942
By redefining the after-policy period to include the period of anticipation (1 January 2020 to 13 June 2020), we estimated higher increases in the sales of NRT products for gums (887.80 pieces; 95% CI 633.80 to 1141.80; p
Asare, S., Xue, Z., Bandi, P., Westmaas, J. L., Jemal, A., & Nargis, N. (2024). Association of nicotine replacement therapy product sales with menthol cigarette sales restriction in Massachusetts. Tobacco Control, 33(6), 813–816. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc-2023-057942
By redefining the after-policy period to include the period of anticipation (1 January 2020 to 13 June 2020), we estimated higher increases in the sales of NRT products for gums (887.80 pieces; 95% CI 633.80 to 1141.80; p
Asare, S., Xue, Z., Bandi, P., Westmaas, J. L., Jemal, A., & Nargis, N. (2024). Association of nicotine replacement therapy product sales with menthol cigarette sales restriction in Massachusetts. Tobacco Control, 33(6), 813–816. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc-2023-057942
By redefining the after-policy period to include the period of anticipation (1 January 2020 to 13 June 2020), we estimated higher increases in the sales of NRT products for gums (887.80 pieces; 95% CI 633.80 to 1141.80; p
Asare, S., Xue, Z., Bandi, P., Westmaas, J. L., Jemal, A., & Nargis, N. (2024). Association of nicotine replacement therapy product sales with menthol cigarette sales restriction in Massachusetts. Tobacco Control, 33(6), 813–816. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc-2023-057942
Non-flavored little cigars saw no significant change over time or between categories, and while vape pens were less available over time in Category 1 cities, there was no difference when compared with Category 2 cities.
Holmes, L. M., Lempert, L. K., & Ling, P. M. (2022). Flavored Tobacco Sales Restrictions Reduce Tobacco Product Availability and Retailer Advertising. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(6), 3455. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063455
Point prevalence cessation rates were similar between groups (online supplementary table 1) as were biochemical biomarkers of smoking (ie, exhaled CO and urinary cotinine concentrations), craving and withdrawal symptom severity, perceived health risks and support for a menthol ban (online supplementary table 2).
Kotlyar, M., Shanley, R., Dufresne, S. R., Corcoran, G. A., Okuyemi, K. S., Mills, A. M., & Hatsukami, D. K. (2021b). Effects on time to lapse of switching menthol smokers to non-menthol cigarettes prior to a cessation attempt: a pilot study. Tobacco Control, 30(5), 574–577. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-055689
Over the 4-week period, the non-menthol group averaged modestly lower scores on all measures of perceived risk, with perceived risk of addiction (mean difference −1.38; 95% CI: −2.37 to −0.39; p = .01) and perceived risk of mouth cancer (mean difference −0.84; 95% CI: −1.66 to −0.03; p = .05) having the largest differences and the only measures for which the difference reached statistical significance (Table 1).
Kotlyar, M., Shanley, R., Dufresne, S. R., Corcoran, G. A., Okuyemi, K. S., Mills, A. M., & Hatsukami, D. K. (2021a). Effects on Smoking Behavior of Switching Menthol Smokers to Non-menthol Cigarettes. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 23(11), 1921–1927. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntab090
Over the 4-week period, the non-menthol group averaged modestly lower scores on all measures of perceived risk, with perceived risk of addiction (mean difference −1.38; 95% CI: −2.37 to −0.39; p = .01) and perceived risk of mouth cancer (mean difference −0.84; 95% CI: −1.66 to −0.03; p = .05) having the largest differences and the only measures for which the difference reached statistical significance (Table 1).
Kotlyar, M., Shanley, R., Dufresne, S. R., Corcoran, G. A., Okuyemi, K. S., Mills, A. M., & Hatsukami, D. K. (2021a). Effects on Smoking Behavior of Switching Menthol Smokers to Non-menthol Cigarettes. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 23(11), 1921–1927. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntab090
Although ratings for cigarette perceived health risks were lower in the menthol cigarette abstinence group than in the menthol cigarette non-abstinence group, statistical significance was reached for only 1 measure (i.e., mouth cancer) (Table 2).
Kotlyar, M., Shanley, R., Dufresne, S. R., Corcoran, G. A., & Hatsukami, D. K. (2022a). Effect of restricting menthol flavored cigarettes or E-cigarettes on smoking behavior in menthol smokers. Preventive Medicine, 165, 107243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107243
No substantial differences among groups were found in measures of motivation or self-efficacy to quit smoking, in nicotine dependence, support for a ban on menthol in tobacco products, or on measures of perceived health risks from the products used
Kotlyar, M., Shanley, R., Dufresne, S. R., Corcoran, G. A., & Hatsukami, D. K. (2022b). Effect on Tobacco Use and Subjective Measures of Including E-cigarettes in a Simulated Ban of Menthol in Combustible Cigarettes. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 24(9), 1448–1457. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntac107
No substantial differences among groups were found in measures of motivation or self-efficacy to quit smoking, in nicotine dependence, support for a ban on menthol in tobacco products, or on measures of perceived health risks from the products used
Kotlyar, M., Shanley, R., Dufresne, S. R., Corcoran, G. A., & Hatsukami, D. K. (2022b). Effect on Tobacco Use and Subjective Measures of Including E-cigarettes in a Simulated Ban of Menthol in Combustible Cigarettes. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 24(9), 1448–1457. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntac107
No substantial differences among groups were found in measures of motivation or self-efficacy to quit smoking, in nicotine dependence, support for a ban on menthol in tobacco products, or on measures of perceived health risks from the products used
Kotlyar, M., Shanley, R., Dufresne, S. R., Corcoran, G. A., & Hatsukami, D. K. (2022b). Effect on Tobacco Use and Subjective Measures of Including E-cigarettes in a Simulated Ban of Menthol in Combustible Cigarettes. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 24(9), 1448–1457. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntac107
Controlling for individual factors (i.e., sex, annual household income, highest education level attainment, age at cigarette initiation, and nicotine dependence), participants’ perception of menthol cigarettes as harmful/risky (B=14.69, p
Smiley, S. L., & Shin, H. (2024). Motivation to Quit Smoking Among Black Adults Residing in Los Angeles County Communities With Menthol Cigarette Sales Restrictions. Substance Use & Misuse, 59(5), 727–731. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2023.2294984
Retailers were warned that they would be subject to permit suspension and/or administrative penalties if they did not come into compliance and were offered the opportunity to self-certify compliance by notifying the Department by text message when they had eliminated flavoured tobacco product sales and display. Routine inspections, which included the possibility of citations, started in April 2019. The SFDPH issued 83 Notices of Correction and 4 Notice of Violations between April 2019 and December 2019. Between January 2019 and December 2019, compliance was 80%.
Vyas, P., Ling, P., Gordon, B., Callewaert, J., Dang, A., Smith, D., Chan, B., & Glantz, S. (2021). Compliance with San Francisco’s flavoured tobacco sales prohibition. Tobacco Control, 30(2), 227–230. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055549
