Flavored cigar availability in Oakland after a partial ban.

OBJECTIVES

We report the continued availability of flavored cigars based on our analysis of discarded cigar wrappers collected in February 2019, after a partial flavor ban in Oakland, CA.

METHODS

We collected 1,501 discarded cigar wrappers in a stratified random sample of census tracts (n = 15). Collected packages were cleaned, photographed, and coded for product type, brand name, pack size, flavor descriptor, and pricing details.

RESULTS

More than half (58.5%, CI 95% = 50-67.1%) of the cigar wrappers collected were flavored. When controlling for product type, pack size, and brand, there were statistical differences in the presence of flavored tobacco products that align with census tract racial and ethnic demographics. The odds of finding flavored cigars in black/African American tracts census tracts were significantly higher (AOR = 2.13, p < .05) than in white (non-Hispanic) census tracts. We also found that wrappers for larger cigar packs (containing three or more cigars) (77.7%) were the most likely to be flavored.

CONCLUSIONS

Flavored cigars continued to be wide available despite Oakland's partial ban on flavored tobacco products. Serious consideration is warranted for comprehensive bans on the sale of flavored tobacco products and ongoing surveillance to assess their availability.