Neighbourhood tobacco retail access and tobacco use susceptibility in young adolescents in urban India

BackgroundNeighbourhood tobacco retail access may influence adolescent tobacco use. In India, we examined the association between neighbourhood tobacco retail access and cognitive risks for tobacco use during early adolescence.MethodsIn 2019–2020, a population-based sample (n=1759) of adolescents aged 13–15 years was surveyed from 52 neighbourhoods in Mumbai and Kolkata. Neighbourhood tobacco retail access was measured as the frequency of visits to tobacco retailers, mapped tobacco retailer density and perceived tobacco retailer density. We estimated associations between neighbourhood tobacco retail access and cognitive risks for tobacco use (perceived ease of access to tobacco, perceived peer tobacco use and intention to use tobacco).ResultsThere was high neighbourhood tobacco retail access. Tobacco retailer density was higher in lower income neighbourhoods (p<0.001). Adolescent frequency of tobacco retailer visits was positively associated with cognitive tobacco use risks. Mapped tobacco retailer density was associated with perceived ease of access in Kolkata but not in Mumbai, and it was not associated with perceived peer tobacco use nor intention. Perceived tobacco retailer density was associated with perceived ease of access and perceived peer use, but not with intention. In Kolkata, higher perceived retailer density and frequency of tobacco retailer visits were negatively associated with perceived ease of access.ConclusionsEfforts to reduce neighbourhood tobacco retail access in India may reduce cognitive tobacco use risk factors in young adolescents. The frequency of tobacco retailer visits and perceived tobacco retailer density increased cognitive risks, though there were some exceptions in Kolkata that further research may explain.

Adolescent Tobacco Use Estimates From The Global Youth Tobacco Survey, India: Tobacco a risk factor for future spread of COVID 19

Background: Tobacco use has been identified as a risk factor and causes negative outcomes to the COVID 19 pandemic. Adolescents’ tobacco users in India are the vulnerable population to acquire COVID-19 in the future. The study aimed to understand tobacco consumption patterns among adolescents in India to highlight the vulnerability of this population to COVID-19 infection. Methods: The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) reports were identified and recovered from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data sets. The findings of the surveys in 2003, 2006, and 2009 were compared with respect to the prevalence of cigarette smoking and other tobacco use, and the determinants of initiation of tobacco use among the adolescent population. Results: The total tobacco consumption among adolescents was found to have increased from 13.7% in 2006 to 14.6% in 2009. All forms of tobacco use were higher in boys than girls across all three survey periods. Also, the trend of bidi (smoked tobacco form) use had increased in both genders. A reduction in exposure to Second Hand Smoke, with an increase in cessation services, media campaigns, and tobacco-related school curriculum was noted. If the increase in tobacco consumption between 2006 and 2009 had continued at the same rate then in 2021 around 18% of adolescents are estimated to consume tobacco in some form. Conclusion: The significant overall tobacco use and increasing bidi consumption makes the adolescent group more susceptible to COVID-19 infection. This indicates an imperative need to include this age group for COVID-19 management to reduce the burden on health care.

Evaluation of neighborhood deprivation and store characteristics in relation to tobacco retail outlet sales violations

Introduction Regulations of the sale of tobacco products to minors have been effective at reducing adolescent tobacco use overall. However, these efforts may not be uniformly enforced in all areas, creating uneven protection against adolescent smoking. Knowledge regarding factors associated with tobacco retail outlet (TRO) violations could help inform better enforcement strategies. Methods In this study, we used Bayesian index regression models to determine if tobacco sales to minors violations across Virginia (2012–2021) were related to store characteristics and neighborhood deprivation and identify geographic areas at significantly elevated risk for violations after adjusting for these factors. Results Results show that there were multiple factors associated with a higher likelihood of tobacco sales violations. Store type was an important factor, as grocery stores and pharmacies had significantly lowered likelihood of violations compared with convenience stores. Being located near another TRO was significantly associated with increased risk of sales to a minor. Neighborhood deprivation was also positively associated with TRO sales violations. Further, there were statistically higher likelihood of sales violations occurring in specific areas (e.g., southwest and southeast) of the state that were not explained by neighborhood deprivation and store attributes. Conclusions Together, results highlight the need to better understand where and why TRO sales violations are occurring in order to improve efforts aimed at monitoring and remediating TRO sales violations.

Flavoured tobacco product restrictions in Massachusetts associated with reductions in adolescent cigarette and e-cigarette use

BackgroundIn the USA, many states do not pre-empt municipalities from enacting stricter tobacco-control policies than state or federal laws. Several municipalities in Massachusetts have passed progressive local laws aimed at reducing adolescent tobacco use. We exploited this variability to examine the associations between county-level flavoured tobacco product restrictions, tobacco 21 policies and smoke-free laws prohibiting e-cigarettes with adolescent cigarette and e-cigarette use in Massachusetts, and to assess whether policy effects varied by age.MethodsWe conducted difference-in-differences models to link changes in county-level tobacco-control policies to changes in adolescents’ use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes using 2011–2017 biennial Massachusetts Youth Health Surveys.ResultsCounties with greater implementation of flavoured tobacco product restrictions were associated with a decrease in the level of cigarette use among users (incidence rate ratio −1.56; 95% CI −2.54 to −0.58). A significant interaction (p=0.03) revealed the largest reductions among 14 and 18 year olds. Increasing flavoured tobacco product restrictions were also associated with reductions in the likelihood of e-cigarette use (OR −0.87; 95% CI −1.68 to −0.06). Increasing tobacco 21 restrictions were associated with decreases in cigarette use only among 18 year olds, while there was no evidence of associations between smoke-free laws with use of either tobacco product.ConclusionsAdolescents in Massachusetts decreased their use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes in response to local restrictions that limited the sale of flavoured tobacco products to adult-only retail tobacco stores. Local legislation can reduce adolescent tobacco use and municipalities should enact stricter tobacco-control policies when not pre-empted by state law.

Tobacco Use and Parental Monitoring—Observations from Three Diverse Island Nations—Cook Islands, Curaçao, and East Timor

Tobacco use among adolescents is a global problem of public health importance. This study examined the profile of differences and similarities in adolescent tobacco use, and the role of parental monitoring activities among adolescents in three island nations of varying economic status: Cook Islands, Curaçao, and East Timor. Using nationally representative data we conducted regression modeling to determine the effect of four types of parental monitoring activities on tobacco use. Within a recall period of 30 days prior to being surveyed, 29.7% of students in East Timor, 21.6% in Cook Islands, and 13.1% in Curaçao reported having smoked cigarettes and/or used tobacco in other forms during 1 or more days during the preceding 30 days. Lower rates of parental monitoring as measured by four variables (parental understanding of problems and worries; knowing about how free time was being spent; going over things without approval; and checking to see if homework was done) were associated with higher percentages of adolescent tobacco use. Taken together the results underscore the need for increased parental involvement in programs which are designed to reduce tobacco use among adolescents.

The Protective Association of Trait and Ability Emotional Intelligence with Adolescent Tobacco Use

The present study is one of the first to analyze the predictive capacity of both trait and ability Emotional Intelligence (EI) based on the Mayer and Salovey model, in relation to tobacco use in a sample of Spanish adolescents. In this study, 799 students between the ages of 12 and 16 participated. A self-report on trait EI, an EI peak performance test, and questions about habits relating to tobacco use were administered. This cross-sectional study developed a quantitative and correlation-type methodology. The main results of the regression analyses, once the sex and age of the participants were controlled, revealed negative associations between the factors of clarity and emotional repair of the trait EI with respect to the variables of tobacco use, and a positive association was found for them and emotional attention. By comparison, with respect to ability EI, emotional perception and understanding were inversely related to adolescent tobacco use. These results underscore the importance of EI skills as protective factors against early initiation and subsequent tobacco abuse.