Martino SC, Setodji CM, Dunbar MS, Jenson D, Wong JCS, Torbatian A, Shadel WG. Does Reducing the Size of the Tobacco Power Wall Affect Young People's Risk of Future Use of Tobacco Products? An Experimental Investigation.
J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2024;
85:234-243. [PMID:
38206655 PMCID:
PMC10941820 DOI:
10.15288/jsad.23-00174]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
A ban on tobacco power walls (in-store package displays) is unlikely in the United States because of concerns that such bans violate commercial free speech rights. This experiment evaluated the effectiveness of a more measured strategy for mitigating the influence of the power wall on young people's susceptibility to tobacco use: limiting its size.
METHOD
The experiment took place in the RAND StoreLab, a life-sized replica of a convenience store. Participants (N = 275) ages 11-20 years were randomly assigned to shop in a variant of the StoreLab that had either a large (status quo), medium, or small power wall situated behind the checkout counter. Before and after shopping, participants completed measures of risk of future use of unflavored and flavored cigarettes and vaping products.
RESULTS
Study condition was unrelated to future risk of smoking unflavored cigarettes, using menthol vaping products, and using sweet-flavored vaping products. Study condition was related to future risk of smoking menthol cigarettes and using unflavored vaping products; compared with exposure to a large power wall, exposure to a small power wall increased the odds of a participant's being at risk for future smoking of menthol cigarettes (odds ratio [OR] = 3.29, 95% CI [1.10, 9.83]) and the odds of a participant's being at risk for using unflavored vaping products (OR = 4.09, 95% CI [1.41, 11.85]).
CONCLUSIONS
These findings call into question the viability of reducing the size of the power wall as a singular strategy for dampening its effect on young people's susceptibility to tobacco use.
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