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Shaping the built environment to reduce tobacco

Combs TB, Ornstein JT, Chaitan VL, et al. Draining the tobacco swamps: Shaping the built environment to reduce tobacco retailer proximity to residents in 30 big US cities. Health & Place. Volume 75, May 2022, 102815, “Combining geospatial data on residential and tobacco retailer density in 30 big US cities, we find that a large majority of urban residents live in ‘tobacco swamps’ – neighborhoods where there is a glut of tobacco retailers. In this study, we simulate the effects of tobacco retail reduction policies and compare probable changes in resident-to-retailer proximity and retailer density for each city.”

Authors’ prescription: “Context, particularly baseline proximity of residents to retailers, is important to consider when designing policies to reduce retailer concentration.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1353829222000764

Stephen Hamann

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