Lisa Henriksen

• Stanford University

Background Transitioning tobacco sales (TTSs) to state-controlled stores would reduce tobacco retailer density, making tobacco less accessible while also providing infrastructure to support retailer licensing, raise prices and restrict marketing. Using 10 US states with an alcohol retail monopoly as an example, this study estimated population avera...

This study assesses whether online vaping retailers adhere to age verification, shipping method, and flavor restrictions in California.

Introduction Capsule cigarettes allow users to crush liquid-filled capsules to release flavors into cigarettes’ filters. New devices are emerging across the globe that allow people who smoke to circumvent tobacco flavor restrictions via injectable capsules. This study examined TikTok videos marketing flavored capsule injector devices. Methods TikT...

Objective To examine inequities in tobacco retailer availability by neighbourhood-level socioeconomic, racial/ethnic and same-sex couple composition. Data sources We conducted a 10 November 2022 search of PubMed, PsycINFO, Global Health, LILACS, Embase, ABI/Inform, CINAHL, Business Source Complete, Web of Science and Scopus. Study selection We in...

Introduction Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach were the first California cities to end tobacco sales. Previous research assessed retailers’ perceptions of the laws. This study is the first to evaluate compliance (Study 1), assess whether branded or unbranded tobacco cues remain, and examine cigarette prices/discounts in cross-border stores (Study 2...

Kratom products are derived from trees native to Southeast Asia and have dose-dependent stimulant and opioid-like effects. Despite being on the Drug Enforcement Administration "Drugs and Chemicals of Concern List," kratom is legal for sale in most US states. However, there are scarce data on its availability. The goal of this study was to examine k...

Introduction: Youth access to tobacco in retail settings remains a pressing public health concern and may vary across retail corporations. This study compares underage sales violation rates in tobacco-selling dollar store corporations-a rapidly growing retail segment where cheaper tobacco prices may appeal to youth-with rates in other major grocer...

Introduction E-cigarette retail/marketing surveillance is needed during regulatory changes, like the US increasing minimum legal sales age to 21 (T21) and flavor restrictions (2019 and 2020) and certain state/localities increasing related restrictions. Methods We examined regulatory compliance (e.g., minimum-age signage), promotional strategies (e...

Background: This study examined the extent to which having a 21 minimum legal sales age for tobacco (T21) at the state level impacted age verification of cigarette and e-cigarette purchases among US young adults (ages 18-26) before and after federal T21 implementation. Methods: We analyzed data from cigarette and/or e-cigarette users (n=618 and...

Introduction VLN King menthol and non-menthol are the first combustible cigarettes to receive US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorisation as modified risk tobacco products. Focusing on the first retail test market, this study characterised VLN advertising, product placement, discounts and price. Methods All Chicago-area Circle K stores (n=...

Vape shop practices related to age verification and product offerings (e.g., other tobacco, cannabis), which may affect young-adult tobacco/substance use, are likely impacted by state-level policies (i.e., Tobacco 21 [T21], flavored e-cigarette restrictions, non-medical cannabis legalization). Using data from young adults (18–34 years) in 6 US stat...

Background According to the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, twelve states in the United States (U.S.) have government retail monopolies on spirits/liquor sales. With a new federal minimum legal sales age for tobacco (raised from 18 to 21, the minimum legal sales age for alcohol), we examine possible unintended consequences of a hypot...

This study investigates the association between the strength of TRL ordinances and adult cigarette use, and differences in the relationship by sociodemographic characteristics, using California as a case study. We merged geocoded data from the California Health Interview Survey with the State of Tobacco Control Reports from the American Lung Associ...

Introduction: The popularity and market for cannabidiol (CBD) products have expanded. Materials and Methods: Using Numerator advertising data from 2017 to 2021 regarding three popular CBD companies in the United States (Charlotte's Web, Green Roads, Medterra), we examined (1) general advertising characteristics (e.g., media channel, year); (2) ad c...

Background: Cannabidiol (CBD) has gained popularity in the United States, particularly among certain populations, including young adults. Thus, we examined (1) CBD product knowledge, perceptions, use, and use intentions among young adults and (2) correlates of use and use intentions. Methods: We analyzed data from a Fall 2020 survey regarding tobac...

E-cigarette use represents a public health controversy in the US and globally. Despite the potential of e-cigarettes to support cigarette cessation, their use increases health risks and risk for addiction, particularly in young people. Various federal, state, and local laws have impacted tobacco retail in general and e-cigarettes in particular. In...

Introduction Nicotine pouches are gaining popularity, yet their marketing is understudied. Methods Using Numerator advertising data from January 2019 to September 2021 regarding three popular brands of nicotine pouch in the USA—Zyn (by Swedish Match, introduced in the USA in July 2016), On! (Altria, August 2016) and Velo (RJ Reynolds, July 2019)—w...

Given the 2020 federal restrictions on flavored cartridge-based e-cigarettes and increasing state/local flavored e-cigarette sales restrictions, this mixed-methods study examined US young adult e-cigarette users’ responses to flavored e-cigarette sales restrictions (e.g., changes in use, products used, access). We descriptively analyzed Fall 2020 s...

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-retaile...

Background: Tobacco regulations and COVID-19 state orders have substantially impacted vape retail. This study assessed vape retailers' perspectives regarding regulations and future retail activities. Methods: In March-June 2021, 60 owners or managers of vape or vape-and-smoke shops (n = 34 vs. n = 26) in six US metropolitan areas completed an on...

An increasing number of countries have set tobacco endgame goals that target dramatic reductions in smoking prevalence. To achieve those targets and promote health equity, policies are needed to reduce the retail supply and visibility of tobacco products. Focusing on retailer reduction strategies and tobacco display bans, this special communication...

Introduction While much of the concern with tobacco industry marketing has focused on direct media advertising, a less explored form of marketing strategy is to discount prices. Price discounting is important because it keeps the purchase price low and can undermine the impact of tax increases. Methods We examine annual US marketing expenditures f...

Background US college students smoke hookah and vape nicotine at higher rates than other young adults. Density/proximity of hookah lounges and vape shops near colleges has been described, but this study is the first to test whether tobacco retailers spatially cluster near college campuses. Methods We created and linked spatial shapefiles for commu...

Objective Two-thirds of U.S. colleges are near vape shops, where higher rates of underage sales exist. This study examined vape shop compliance with state-mandated age-of-sale signs, the presence of age-of-entry signs and the tobacco industry’s “We Card” sign. Participants: Random sample of 614 California vape shops, stratified by distance to commu...

Introduction Flavored tobacco appeals to new users. This paper describes evaluation results of California’s early ordinances restricting flavored tobacco sales. Methods A multicomponent evaluation of proximal policy outcomes involved the following: (a) tracking the reach of local ordinances; (b) a retail observation survey; and (c) a statewide opi...

Background: The sale of tobacco products within American pharmacies has generated controversy for several decades, leading two US states and 45 municipalities to adopt tobacco-free pharmacy policies. While previous research has reported cheaper cigarette prices in pharmacies, compared to other retailers, little is known about cigarette promotions...

Introduction Dollar stores are rapidly altering the retail landscape for tobacco. Two of the three largest chains sell tobacco products in more than 24 000 stores across the USA. We sought to examine whether dollar stores are more likely to be located in disadvantaged neighbourhoods and whether dollar stores charge less for cigarettes than other to...

Background This study examined young people’s e-cigarette risk perceptions, policy attitudes, and past-month nicotine vaping in 30 US cities in relation to city e-cigarette retail policy. Methods Participants ages 13-20 were recruited online September-November 2020 (N=900, approximately 30 per city). Cities (median population=688,531) were in 23 s...

Objective We sought to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence to inform policies that reduce density and proximity of tobacco retailers. Data sources Ten databases were searched on 16 October 2020: MEDLINE via PubMed, PsycINFO, Global Health, LILACS, Embase, ABI/Inform, CINAHL, Business Source Complete, Web of Science and Scopus...

Background As of September 2020, more than 300 state and local jurisdictions restrict the sales of flavored tobacco, with some including menthol. Aims o evaluate the impact of local ordinances restricting the sale of flavored tobacco, we surveyed Californians regarding policy support and perceived access to flavored tobacco. Methods In 2019, we c...

Significance Despite increases in e-cigarette sales restrictions, support for sales restrictions and perceived impact on young adult use are unclear. Methods We analyzed Feb-May 2020 data from a longitudinal study of 2,159 young adults (ages 18-34; Mage=24.75±4.71; n=550 past 30-day e-cigarette users) in 6 metropolitan areas (Atlanta, Boston, Minn...

Objective: States and localities are formulating strategies to reduce the widespread retail availability of tobacco products. Evidence of associations between retailer density/proximity and tobacco use outcomes can help inform those strategies. We conducted a scoping review on tobacco retail availability and cigarette/e-cigarette use in adults and...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have documented increased and decreased cigarette smoking among adults. Individual differences in the perceived susceptibility and seriousness of the virus, for people who smoke in general and for oneself personally, may relate to changes in smoking. Using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a theoretical framewor...

Introduction Although the FDA prohibits using inaccurate, reduced-risk descriptors on tobacco product advertising, descriptors that imply reduced-risk or an enhanced user experience may be present on cigar product advertising in retail outlets near schools. Therefore, to inform the development of federal labeling and advertising requirements that r...

Objective San Francisco’s comprehensive restriction on flavoured tobacco sales applies to all flavours (including menthol), all products and all retailers (without exemptions). This study evaluates associations of policy implementation with changes in tobacco sales in San Francisco and in two California cities without any sales restriction. Method...

This study examined which socio-demographic factors are associated with susceptibility (lack of commitment to avoid future use), past-12-month and past-30-day use of JUUL and other e-cigarettes, and reasons for and against using JUUL. An online survey of 3,075 Californians ages 15-29, including 24.3% who identified as LGBTQ, were recruited via soci...

This study characterizes vape shop closings, openings, and changes in product mix in six U.S. metropolitan statistical areas with different tobacco and marijuana policies. With concern for higher rates of marijuana use among those who vape nicotine, the presence of marijuana-related terms in store names was also assessed. A census of stores that we...

Purpose This study compares access to flavoured JUUL and other e-cigarettes from retail, online and social sources among underage and young adult e-cigarette users who live in California jurisdictions that restrict sales of flavoured tobacco with the rest of the state. Methods An online survey used social media advertisements to recruit participan...

Objectives: Given the need to understand e-cigarette retail and its impact, we examined sociodemographic, tobacco and marijuana use, and e-cigarette retail experiences as correlates of (1) past 30-day e-cigarette use, (2) past 30-day advertising/media exposure, and (3) point-of-sale age verification among young adults. Methods: We analyzed basel...

Introduction E-cigarette cessation intervention research is limited. Young adult e-cigarette use and cessation is particularly nuanced, given various user profiles (i.e., polytobacco use, co-use with marijuana) warranting different intervention approaches. Methods The current study is an analysis of baseline survey data (collected September-Decemb...

Introduction Vaping and vape shops pose risk for COVID-19 and its transmission. Objectives We examined vape shop non-compliance with state-ordered business closures during COVID-19, changes in their marketing and experiences among consumers. Methods As part of a longitudinal study of vape retail in six metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs; Atlant...

Over the past decade in the US there have been marked pivotal changes in the policy and retail environment regarding cannabinoids, particularly cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Many vape shops may carry products relevant to these two markets. This study interviewed vape shop owners/managers to assess their perceptions of co...

Introduction: In the US, prominent sources of vaping products are specialty vape shops, which are subject to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation. This study interviewed vape shop owners/managers to assess: 1) reasons for entering into or engaging in vape shop retail; 2) personnel training, particularly with regard to FDA and state regula...

Background Often perceived as a safer smoke, Natural American Spirit (NAS) may find particular appeal in communities with strong non-smoking norms. We hypothesized NAS would be more popular in cities with lower smoking prevalence, with the pattern unique to NAS. We tested household income, cigarette taxes, and young adult population as alternative...

Purpose Natural American Spirit (NAS) cigarettes, which have recently grown in popularity, are marketed as eco-friendly and natural. The present study examined whether NAS's on-the-pack messaging influences adolescents' health perceptions of the brand. Methods In a mixed-factor design, adolescent participants (N = 1,003, ages 13–17, 75% female) we...

Vaping is increasingly prevalent and controversial. Vape shops and convenience stores are common but distinct sources of vaping products, and where they locate may reflect likely target markets. This study examined the density and neighborhood demographics of vape shops and convenience stores in six metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs): Atlanta, B...

Background Reducing the retail availability of tobacco has been proposed as a component of tobacco endgame, yet it is not known whether retail availability has a direct impact on smoking behaviours. A narrative review and a meta-analysis have been undertaken to examine the density and proximity of tobacco retail outlets, but were limited in scope,...

Introduction Vape shops represent prominent, unique retailers, subject to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation in the United States. Aims and Methods This study assessed compliance of US vape shop retail marketing strategies with new regulations (eg, required age verification, prohibited free samples) and pre-implementation conditions for...

Introduction California's landmark 1994 Smokefree Workplace Act contained numerous exemptions, or loopholes, believed to contribute to inequities in smokefree air protections among low-income communities and communities of color (e.g., permitting smoking in warehouses, hotel common areas). Cities/counties were not prevented from adopting stronger l...

Objectives. To assess tobacco product availability, advertised discounts, and prices in rural and nonrural stores, comparing results for two definitions of rural. Method. This geospatial study linked data from marketing surveillance in a representative sample of licensed tobacco retailers in California ( n = 1,276) and categorized rural/nonrural st...

The PhenX (Phenotypes and eXposures) Toolkit provides researchers with recommended standard consensus measures for use in epidemiological, biomedical, clinical and translational studies. To expand the depth and breadth of measures in the PhenX Toolkit, the National Institutes of Health and U.S. Food and Drug Administration have launched a project t...

Objectives. To evaluate assurances of voluntary compliance (AVCs) between state attorneys general and retail chains by assessing e-cigarette sales to underage decoys and tobacco marketing violations in corporate-owned stores (that sign AVCs) and franchise stores (that do not sign AVCs). Methods. Decoys 18 to 19 years of age attempted to purchase e-...

Objective: To investigate whether California's 2017 cigarette tax increase was passed onto smokers equally. Methods: Auditors recorded 4 cigarette prices in the same random sample of licensed tobacco retailers (N = 1049) before the tax increase (January-March 2017) and after (April-September 2018): Natural American Spirit (ultra-premium), Newpor...

Purpose: The rise of noncigarette, alternative tobacco product (ATP) use among adolescents may be due in part to an increase in retail availability of ATPs. We examined whether proximity and density of tobacco retailers near students' homes are associated with a higher likelihood of initiating ATP use over time. Methods: Using data from 728 adol...

We examine whether county-level tobacco retailer density and adult smoking prevalence are positively associated in the United States and determine whether associations differ in metropolitan vs. nonmetropolitan counties. We merged a list of likely tobacco retailers from the 2012 National Establishment Time-Series with smoking prevalence data from t...

Purpose To examine the relationship between tobacco outlet density and social capital. Participants Parents of at least one teen (N = 2734) in a representative sample of US households with teens (ages 13-16). Design Population-based, cross-sectional survey of a web panel of adolescent–parent pairs matched with spatial data for address to characte...

In 2018, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a 78% increase in vaping from 2017 to 2018 among high school students, an epidemic characterized by increased use of flavored tobacco products.¹ With a goal to reverse this trend, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its intent to limit sales of flavored (excluding...

Background There is evidence that the cheapest cigarettes cost even less in neighbourhoods with higher proportions of youth, racial/ethnic minorities and low-income residents. This study examined the relationship between the price of the cheapest cigarette pack and neighbourhood demographics in a representative sample of tobacco retailers in the US...

Introduction: American Spirit cigarettes feature American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) imagery in the branding, are marketed as environmentally friendly, without additives, and four varieties contain organic tobacco. This study is the first to examine retail price of American Spirit relative to other cigarette brands and to assess how its price va...

Achieving universal health and well-being for all Americans is the ideal goal for US public health efforts, but inequities in chronic disease and life expectancy present a persistent challenge, particularly in large cities.¹ In 2016, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the 500 Cities Pro...

Introduction: This study characterizes the retail environment for Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) near public universities in California, assesses marketing in the first random sample of ENDS retailers, and compares ENDS retailer density and retail marketing near campuses with and without tobacco-free policies. Methods: Two data sour...

Pharmacies face increasing pressure to abandon tobacco sales, as CVS Health did in September 2014.¹ Although selling tobacco, the leading cause of preventable death and cardiovascular disease, is incongruous with promoting health and wellness, tobacco sales in pharmacies totaled almost $5 billion in 2012.² At one pharmacy chain, approximately 1 in...

This study describes retail marketing for menthol cigarettes and its relationship with neighborhood demographics in a national sample of tobacco retailers in the United States. Mixed-effects models were used to examine three outcomes: menthol cigarette exterior advertising, menthol cigarette price promotions, and the pack price of menthol and non-m...

Objective At least four varieties of little filtered cigars (LFCs) violate the US prohibition on flavoured cigarettes other than menthol. This study characterises the sales of prohibited products and other LFCs by flavour category and pack size, as well as the price of LFCs relative to cigarettes. Methods Using retail sales data for 2016, we compu...

As recreational marijuana expands, standardized surveillance measures examining the retail environment are critical for informing policy and enforcement. We conducted a reliability and generalizability study using a previously developed tool involving assessment of a sample of 25 randomly selected Seattle recreational marijuana retailers (20 recrea...

Objectives: Researchers and regulators study the advertised price of tobacco products to evaluate compliance with minimum price policies, tax increases, and geodemographic marketing. However, few studies report reliability of advertised price and none address its concordance with receipt price. Methods: In a sample of US tobacco retailers (N=197...

The emerging retail market for recreational marijuana use warrants research and surveillance as such markets are established in more US states. This research can be informed by the existing literature regarding tobacco and alcohol, which highlights the impact of spatial access to tobacco and alcohol retailers and exposure to tobacco and alcohol mar...

Objectives To assess the retail availability of cigar products that refer to marijuana and the largest package size of cigarillos available for ≤$1. Methods Trained data collectors conducted marketing surveillance in a random sample of licensed tobacco retailers that sold little cigars/cigarillos (LCCs) (n=530) near a statewide sample of middle an...

The 60% decline in the prevalence of cigarette smoking among U.S. adults over the past 50 years represents a significant public health achievement. This decline was steered in part by national, state, and local tobacco control programs and policies, such as public education campaigns; widespread smoke-free air laws; higher cigarette prices that hav...

Objectives. To identify the behavioral mechanisms and effects of tobacco control policies designed to reduce tobacco retailer density. Methods. We developed the Tobacco Town agent-based simulation model to examine 4 types of retailer reduction policies: (1) random retailer reduction, (2) restriction by type of retailer, (3) limiting proximity of re...

Background.: Retail marketing surveillance research highlights concerns about lower-priced cigarettes in neighborhoods with a higher proportion of racial/ethnic minorities, but focuses almost exclusively on premium brands. To remedy this gap in the literature, the current study examines neighborhood variation in prices for the cheapest cigarettes...

Background Evidence of racial/ethnic inequalities in tobacco outlet density is limited by: (1) reliance on studies from single counties or states, (2) limited attention to spatial dependence, and (3) an unclear theory-based relationship between neighbourhood composition and tobacco outlet density. Methods In 97 counties from the contiguous USA, we...

In this issue of JAMA Internal Medicine, Lortet-Tieulent and colleagues¹ demonstrate the grim consequences of state-level disparities in smoking prevalence. They identify substantial disparities in the smoking-attributable cancer mortality among US states. As the authors suggest, it is likely that only a small amount of the variation in smoking-att...

Objective The Standardized Tobacco Assessment for Retail Settings (STARS) was designed to characterise the availability, placement, promotion and price of tobacco products, with items chosen for relevance to regulating the retail tobacco environment. This study describes the process to develop the STARS instrument and protocol employed by a collabo...

Background There are ∼380 000 tobacco retailers in the USA, where the largest tobacco companies spend almost $9 billion a year to promote their products. No systematic survey has been conducted of state-level activities to regulate the retail environment, thus little is known about what policies are being planned, proposed or implemented. Methods...

Objectives: To examine disparities in the price of tobacco and nontobacco products in pharmacies compared with other types of stores. Methods: We recorded the prices of Marlboro, Newport, the cheapest cigarettes, and bottled water in a random sample of licensed tobacco retailers (n = 579) in California in 2014. We collected comparable data from...

Objective The goal of the current study was to empirically compare successive cohorts of treatment-seeking smokers who enrolled in randomised clinical trials in a region of the USA characterised by strong tobacco control policies and low smoking prevalence, over the past three decades. Design Retrospective treatment cohort comparison. Setting Data...

Given interest in the public health impact of convenience stores, it is surprising that so little is known about the popularity of these destinations for youth. We surveyed 2772 adolescents (age 13-16) from a nationally representative web panel of US households. Nearly half (47.5%) of adolescents reported visiting convenience stores at least weekly...

We systematically reviewed evidence of disparities in tobacco marketing at tobacco retailers by sociodemographic neighborhood characteristics. We identified 43 relevant articles from 893 results of a systematic search in 10 databases updated May 28, 2014. We found 148 associations of marketing (price, placement, promotion, or product availability)...

Background Tobacco use is markedly higher among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations than heterosexuals. Higher density of tobacco retailers is found in neighborhoods with lower income and more racial/ethnic minorities. Same-sex couples tend to live in similar neighborhoods, but the association of this demographic with tobacco retailer dens...

Background and AimsThis online experiment examined whether the addition of ingredient-themed or industry-themed warning statements in television advertisements for e-cigarettes would affect young adults’ craving for and risk perceptions of e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes, as well as intent to purchase e-cigarettes.DesignAdvertisements for t...

Objectives: We examined the density and proximity of tobacco retailers and associations with smoking behavior and mental health in a diverse sample of 1061 smokers with serious mental illness (SMI) residing in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Methods: Participants' addresses were geocoded and linked with retailer licensing data to deter...

Background: Declining cigarette use and increasing smoke-free laws have led tobacco companies to promote new smokeless products such as snus and dissolvable tobacco. Marketing these products with top-selling cigarette brands may increase their popularity with youth and promote dual use of products that share the same brand name. This longitudinal s...