Geographical differences in the financial impacts of different forms of tobacco licence fees on small retailers in Scotland.

OBJECTIVE: Retailer licencing fees are a promising avenue to regulate tobacco availability. However, they face strong opposition from retailers and the tobacco industry, who argue significant financial impacts. This study compares the impacts of different forms of tobacco licence schemes on retailers' profits in Scotland. METHODS: We calculated gross profits from tobacco sales in 179 convenience stores across Scotland using 1 099 697 electronic point-of-sale records from 16 weeks between 2019 and 2022. We estimated different fees using universal, volumetric and separate urban/rural schemes. We identified the point at which 50% of retailers would no longer make a gross profit on tobacco sales for each scheme and modelled the financial impact of 10 incremental fee levels. The financial impact was assessed based on changes in retailers' tobacco gross profits. Differences by neighbourhood deprivation and urban/rural status were examined. RESULTS: The gross profit from tobacco per convenience store averaged £15 859/year. Profits were 2.29 times higher in urban (vs rural) areas and 1.59 times higher in high-deprivation (vs low-deprivation) areas, attributable to higher sales volumes. Tobacco gross profit decreased proportionally with increasing fee levels. Universal and urban/rural fees had greater gross profit reductions in rural and/or less deprived areas, where profits were lower, compared with volumetric fees. CONCLUSION: The introduction of tobacco licence fees offers a potential opportunity for reducing the availability of tobacco retailers. The likely impact of a tobacco licence fee is sensitive to the type of licence scheme implemented, the level at which fees are set and the retailers' location in relation to neighbourhood deprivation and rurality.

Urban and social determinants of alcohol and tobacco consumption among adolescents in Madrid.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the accessibility to and promotion of alcohol and tobacco around secondary schools in Madrid and its distribution in relation with area-level socioeconomic deprivation; analyze the relationship between this exposure and individual consumption characteristics of students between 14 and 18 years old; and explore other facilitators of this consumption. METHOD: Mixed-methods study conducted in three phases: 1) we collected data on accessibility to and promotion of alcohol and tobacco in the environment using systematic social observation around 55 secondary schools; 2) we administered 2287 questionnaires among the students in these centers to gather information about characteristics and determinants of consumption; and 3) we conducted 20 semi-structured interviews and one discussion group to deepen in the results obtained in surveys and systematic social observation. We will use Geographic Information Systems to integrate and analyze the data from a spatial perspective.

Availability and promotion of alcohol across different outlet typologies and under different area-level socioeconomic status. / Disponibilidad y promoción de alcohol según la tipología de los locales y las condiciones socioeconómicas del área.

We aimed to characterize the availability and promotion of alcohol at alcohol outlets in Madrid and to compare them according to type of outlet and area-level socioeconomic status. We used the OHCITIES instrument to characterise the alcohol outlets in 42 census tracts of Madrid in 2016. We specified alcohol availability as the density of alcohol outlets and the number of alcohol outlets with extended opening hours (12 or more). We registered any type of promotion associated to alcohol outlets that could be perceived from outside the outlet. We calculated and compared proportions of availability and promotion by alcohol outlet (on- and off-premise) using chi-squared and Fisher Exact tests. We estimated the availability and promotion of alcohol densities per census tract according to area-level socioeconomic status. To assess statistical significance, we used Kruskal-Wallis tests. We recorded 324 alcohol outlets, 241 on-premise and 83 off-premise. Most of the outlets had extended opening hours (73.77%) and at least one sign promoting alcohol (89.51%). More on-premise outlets had extended opening hours and higher presence of alcohol promotion than off-premise (p < 0.001). Higher density of alcohol outlets, extended opening hours and presence of alcohol promotion were found in higher socioeconomic areas (all p < 0.001). These results were also observed for on-premise alcohol outlets. Alcohol availability and promotion were associated with alcohol outlets in Madrid. Future alcohol policies regulating the availability and promotion of alcohol should consider outlet types and area-level socioeconomic status.

El objetivo fue caracterizar la disponibilidad y promoción de alcohol asociados a los locales de venta y consumo de alcohol en Madrid, así como explorar las diferencias en su distribución en función de la tipología del local y las características socioeconómicas del área. Se utilizó el instrumento OHCITIES para caracterizar locales situados en 42 secciones censales de Madrid durante 2016. Se registró la densidad de locales y el número de locales con amplios horarios de apertura (12 o más horas). Se registró cualquier tipo de promoción asociada al local visible desde el exterior. Se compararon los porcentajes de características de disponibilidad y promoción asociada a los locales de consumo y venta de alcohol utilizando el test de chi cuadrado y la prueba exacta de Fisher. Se estimó la densidad de disponibilidad y promoción por sección censal y se exploró su distribución en función de las características socioeconómicas del área mediante el test de Kruskal-Wallis. Se registraron 324 locales, 241 de consumo y 83 de venta. La mayoría tenía un horario amplio de apertura (73,77%) y algún elemento promocional (89,51%). Los locales de consumo tenían horarios más amplios de apertura y más elementos promocionales que los de venta (p < 0,001). Se encontraron mayor densidad de locales, amplitud de horarios y elementos promocionales en áreas de nivel socioeconómico alto (todos p < 0,001). La disponibilidad y promoción estuvieron asociadas con los locales de venta y consumo de alcohol en Madrid. Futuras políticas cuyo objetivo sea la prevención del consumo de alcohol deben tener en cuenta la influencia de los tipos de locales y las características socioeconómicas del área en la distribución de la disponibilidad y promoción de alcohol.

Accessibility and availability of alcohol outlets around schools: An ecological study in the city of Madrid, Spain, according to socioeconomic area-level.

Neighborhood accessibility and availability of alcohol products has been associated with increased alcohol consumption and harms among adolescents. This availability has been shown to be higher in neighborhoods with lower socio-economic status (SES). The aim of this study was to examine inequalities in alcohol outlet density and proximity around schools by area-level SES in Madrid, Spain. Data on schools, SES, alcohol outlets and population density at census tract level were obtained through public databases from the local government of Madrid. We examined (1) density as the number of alcohol outlets around schools within 3 buffers (i.e. 200 m, 400 m and 800 m) and (2) proximity as the distance from schools to their nearest alcohol outlet. We performed multilevel analyses to examine the associations between alcohol outlet density and proximity and SES, adjusted by population density. Secondary schools (n = 576) located in less deprived areas had lower densities of alcohol outlets at walking distances of 200 and 400 m (50% and 37% lower, respectively p < 0.05). No significant differences were found for the proximity measures. The socioeconomic level of the area in which adolescents go to school is a determinant of their exposure to alcohol, where those who study in high SES areas have lower exposure to alcohol outlets. This study highlights the need to prioritize equity in the design and implementation of policies to limit alcohol accessibility among adolescents, including establishing minimum distances between schools and alcohol outlets or limiting the number of outlets per inhabitant in neighborhoods.

Regulating the local availability of tobacco retailing in Madrid, Spain: a GIS study to evaluate compliance.

BACKGROUND: In Spain, tobacco sales are limited to tobacco-exclusive stores and associated vending machines. A minimum of 150 m between stores is required, unless they exceed a legal sales threshold. Minimum distances to schools are recommended but not defined. We evaluated compliance with these regulations in Madrid, Spain. METHODS: Information about tobacco-exclusive stores and their sales volume was obtained in 2014. We used geographic information system to identify stores closer than 150 m between them and examine whether they exceeded the sales threshold. We estimated distances between stores and schools, considering different distance intervals (<150 m, 150-300 m and >300 m) and calculations (crow flies and street network). We assessed the association of area-level demographic and socioeconomic characteristics with the distribution of tobacco stores. RESULTS: 5.3% (34/638) of tobacco stores were within 150 m of each other. Among those, 76% (26/34) did not meet the regulation sales threshold. These stores were in areas with lower proportion of young population (<15 years) and higher proportion of people with university-level education. 75% (476/638) of stores were situated closer than 300 m to schools. No differences were identified in sociodemographic and economic characteristics by the store distance to schools. CONCLUSION: Most tobacco stores are compliant with the regulations in Spain. However, these regulations are insufficient to reduce tobacco availability. More restrictive regulations are needed to limit the geographic distribution of tobacco retailers, and health criteria should also be considered in the current legislation. The evaluation of the Spanish regulatory model may provide useful insights for other jurisdictions looking to decrease the tobacco retail availability.

Second-hand smoke exposure in outdoor hospitality venues: Smoking visibility and assessment of airborne markers.

INTRODUCTION: After the implementation of smoke-free policies in indoor hospitality venues (including bars, cafeterias, restaurants, and pubs), smokers may have been displaced to their outdoor areas. We aimed to study smoking visibility and second-hand smoke exposure in outdoor hospitality venues. METHODS: We collected information on signs of tobacco consumption on entrances and terraces of hospitality venues in 2016 in the city of Madrid, Spain. We further measured airborne nicotine concentrations and particulate matter of less than 2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) in terraces with monitors by active sampling during 30 min. We calculated the medians and the interquartile ranges (IQR) of nicotine and PM2.5 concentrations, and fitted multivariate models to characterize their determinants. RESULTS: We found 202 hospitality venues between May and September (summer), and 83 between October and December 2016 (fall) that were opened at the time of observation. We found signs of tobacco consumption on 78.2% of the outdoor main entrances and on 95.1% of outdoor terraces. We measured nicotine and PM2.5 concentrations in 92 outdoor terraces (out of the 123 terraces observed). Overall median nicotine concentration was 0.42 (IQR: 0.14-1.59) µg/m3, and overall PM2.5 concentration was 10.40 (IQR: 6.76-15.47) µg/m3 (statistically significantly higher than the background levels). Multivariable analyses showed that nicotine and PM2.5 concentrations increased when the terraces were completely closed, and when tobacco smell was noticed. Nicotine concentrations increased with the presence of cigarette butts, and when there were more than eight lit cigarettes at a time. CONCLUSIONS: Outdoor hospitality venues are areas where non-smokers, both employees and patrons, continue to be exposed to second-hand smoke. These spaces should be further studied and considered in future tobacco control interventions.