A Date with Density: Policy Options for Tobacco Retailer Reduction

Audience:

State and Local Tobacco Control Program Staff, Health Department Officials; Advocates

Key Points:

1. Tobacco retailer density correlates directly with accessibility of tobacco products and the visibility of tobacco marketing in communities, and likely promotes tobacco use.  
2. Tobacco retailers are clustered disproportionately in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, which exacerbates tobacco use disparities and health inequities. 
3. Restricting the number and location of tobacco retailers is an important public health intervention.
4. Lisa Henriksen, PhD (Stanford Prevention Research Center) will report data about “births” and “deaths” of retailers in California (2006-2009) to illustrate the opportunities for different policies to accelerate tobacco retailer reduction.  For example, the findings indicate that requiring a local licensing fee can reduce retailer density, even without a specific provision in the ordinance regarding retailer reduction.
5. Ian McLaughlin, JD  (Public Health Law & Policy) will discuss the various policy approaches to reduce density (zoning, Conditional Use Permit, licensing, and direct regulation), and the advantages, disadvantages, and legal/Constitutional issues involved with each approach.

Educational Experience:

Including both research data and legal policy in the panel will enable participants to understand both the effectiveness and legal feasibility of a policy to reduce retailer density.

Benefits:

1. Understanding how the number and location of tobacco retailers changes over time will help participants estimate the likely impact of policy options to reduce retailer density.
2. Data on effectiveness and legal feasibility of density reduction policies will enable participants to meaningfully engage policymakers.