New research shows that in Tehama County the availability of e-cigarettes has increased from 71% in 2016 to 79% in 2019 among surveyed stores.
This finding is part of the new research released on the availability and marketing of tobacco products, alcohol, condoms and healthy and unhealthy food options in California stores that sell tobacco.
The Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community Survey is the largest scientific survey of its kind in the state and builds upon previous research released in 2014 and 2017 to look at changes in the availability and marketing of the studied products over time. Information collected from nearly 8,000 randomly selected licensed tobacco retailers in all 58 California counties included convenience, gas, grocery, liquor and drug, as well as tobacco stores.
One of the key goals of the survey was to examine the accessibility and marketing of healthy and unhealthy products to youth. In Tehama County, 25% of surveyed stores still have tobacco marketing in kid-friendly locations, such as near candy or toys or under three feet.
“The findings show that while we have made some progress in combating tobacco, our community’s youth are still surrounded by unhealthy choices and messages in the retail environment,” said Minnie Sagar, Public Health director of Tehama County Health Services Agency. “Tobacco advertising shouldn’t be somewhere that’s meant to be seen by kids. Overall, we need a better balance of healthy choices in our stores. This information is important to examine because the three leading causes of death in Tehama County are from heart disease, cancer and stroke – these diseases can largely be prevented by eliminating tobacco use, limiting alcohol use, eating healthy and being physically active.”
The survey found the following for Tehama County:
Of stores surveyed, 90% sell flavored, non-cigarette tobacco products such as grape e-cigarettes, and this is an increase since 2016 when 76% sold them. A majority of stores also sold menthol cigarettes.
The vast majority of stores, 86%, sold little cigars/cigarillos or chewing tobacco 81%. These widely available products come in hundreds of enticing flavors, and can be sold individually – making them very appealing to youth.
More stores in Tehama sold flavored tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, little cigars and chew than fresh fruits and vegetables, 90% vs. 48%, when surveyed.
More than 37% of surveyed stores in Tehama County sold sugary drinks at the check-out counter. In Tehama County 19% of adults consume soda more than 7 times per week, which is higher than the state average of 11%.
Of surveyed stores, 90% sold condoms, and the majority, 74%, sold them on unlocked shelves where people don’t have to worry about being embarrassed by asking a clerk to access them.
“The growing availability of flavored tobacco products are of particular concern as four out of five youth who have used tobacco started with a flavored product,” Sagar said. “This is a concern because research shows that tobacco often acts as a gateway to using other drugs. Tehama County Health Services Agency- Public Health is committed to continuing to work with local health advocates, partners and business owners to provide accurate information and help make the healthy choice the easy choice for local residents. We have an important opportunity, now, to make sure our stores offer healthier options.”
The Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community campaign is a statewide collaboration between tobacco and alcohol use prevention, sexually transmitted disease prevention and nutrition partners to examine what’s in our community stores and how that impacts public health.
For full state and county-specific data and more information on Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community, visit www.healthystoreshealthycommunity.com.
For more information on the results of this survey for Tehama County call Public Health at 527-6824.
