US retail nicotine product distribution…
US retail nicotine product distribution has implications for future regulation. Rose SW, Annabathula A, Westneat S, et al. Neighborhood distribution of availability of newer tobacco products: A US four-site study, 2021. Prev Med Rep. 2022 Dec; 30: 102028. “Audits of tobacco retailers 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.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9619027/pdf/main.pdf
“Though these products share some common features such as relatively high nicotine concentrations, flavor availability, ‘tobacco-free’ claims, and relatively low prices, retail marketing appears to differ. Nicotine pouches were more common in chain convenience stores…. In contrast, disposable e-cigarettes appear more prevalent in tobacco/vape shops, but not other non-specialty store types like groceries and pharmacies.”
“As both product types potentially face increased regulation under the FDA premarket authorization process, understanding patterns and changes in their availability in the retail environment is critical to inform potential policies regulating their sale and marketing.”
Comment: Since these products are not highly regulated in the US, nicotine sellers are choosing their target audiences for promoting these products. The practice of audience targeting is common for legal and illegal nicotine products and should be researched so that regulatory policies are adopted to limit the use of these products even if they are banned.
Stephen Hamann
