22 Flavored tobacco sales restrictions and youth e-cigarette use by tobacco retailer density

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Flavored tobacco sales restrictions (FTSR) may reduce youth tobacco use, but may not be as effective in areas with greater tobacco retailer density (TRD), which is associated with greater tobacco access and more common in low-income areas. We examined the association between FTSRs and e-cigarette use for youth in high and low TRD cities. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We analyzed data from the California Healthy Kids Survey using a difference-in-differences (DID) strategy. We compared pre- and post-policy changes in ease of access to e-cigarettes, current use, and ever use one year after implementation among students (9th and 11th graders) attending school in a city with a FTSR (n=20,832) versus without (n=66,126). Separate analyses were conducted for students in cities with low and high TRD, with a median cutoff of 3.3 tobacco retailers per square mile. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Students attending schools in cities with high TRD (compared with low TRD) had a higher percentage of parents with a high school education or less, and were more likely to identify as Hispanic or Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander. Among students with low TRD, FTSRs were associated with reduced ease of access to e-cigarettes (DID=0.76, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.99). However, among students with high TRD, FTSRs were associated with increased ease of access (DID: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.56) and current use (DID=1.57, 95% CI: 1.31, 1.87). DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: FTSRs were associated with lower youth e-cigarette access in low, but not high TRD areas. Stronger policies or enforcement may be needed in high TRD areas.