California Flavor Ban Cut E-Cig & Cigarette Sales: Study Finds
California’s comprehensive ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products has successfully reduced both e-cigarette and traditional cigarette sales within the state without causing a significant surge in cross-border purchases in neighboring states, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health. This research, conducted by a team from the CDC Foundation, Truth Initiative, and the University of Southern California, is the first known formal evaluation of the law’s impact on sales since its implementation.
Analyzing retail scanner data from January 2023 to June 2024, the study found that California’s flavored tobacco ban led to a 37% decrease in the average quarterly nicotine milligrams sold per capita for e-cigarettes. Concurrently, per capita cigarette pack sales declined by 10.6% in California retail outlets. This suggests the policy has been effective in reducing the overall consumption of these products.
Crucially, the research found no evidence of significant increases in cross-border cigarette or e-cigarette purchases in neighboring states like Arizona, Nevada, or Oregon after adjusting for other variables. “These findings help showcase the power of state-level action and also debunk the myth that state-level regulations drive trafficking products across state lines,” said Dr. Megan Diaz, a co-author of the study and research managing director at Truth Initiative’s Schroeder Institute.
However, the study also highlighted ongoing challenges. Despite the overall decline, illegal sales of flavored tobacco products continued, particularly for disposable e-cigarettes. The vast majority (94%) of non-compliant e-cigarette sales were for disposables. Researchers also documented a sharp increase in the sale of products marketed as “non-menthol” or “clear,” which contain synthetic cooling chemicals that mimic the sensation of menthol, a flavor known to make tobacco products more appealing to youth. In response to this trend, California strengthened its law, effective January 2025, to prohibit the sale of products that provide a “cooling sensation.”
“These results are an encouraging sign that statewide restrictions on the sale of flavored tobacco products are a successful method of reducing flavored tobacco sales, which we know appeal to young people,” said Judy Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. She emphasized that continued monitoring of sales and use is critical to inform future efforts to protect youth from the harms of tobacco and nicotine products.
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