Are Waterpipe Café, Vape Shop, and Traditional Tobacco Retailer Locations Associated with Community Composition and Young Adult Tobacco Use in North Carolina and Virginia?

Abstract

Purpose

We examined whether waterpipe café, vape shop, and traditional tobacco retailer (e.g. stores selling cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco) locations were associated with census tract composition and tobacco use among young adults in North Carolina and Virginia. Methods: We identified waterpipe cafés, vape shops, and traditional tobacco retailers in North Carolina and Virginia and conducted multivariable analyses between community characteristics (gender, race, ethnicity, education, college enrollment, and poverty) and density per 1000 population. Using fall 2017 data from 1099 young adults residing in North Carolina and Virginia, we conducted logistic regression analyses to determine whether tobacco retailer density and proximity were associated with tobacco use. Results: Waterpipe café, vape shop, and traditional retailer density were higher in communities with more people who were Hispanic, college-educated, and college-enrolled (each p < .05). Waterpipe café and traditional retailer density were higher in communities with more people living below the poverty level (each p < .05). Waterpipe café density was higher in communities with more people who were male (p < .05), while traditional retailer density was lower (p < .05). Waterpipe café and vape shop proximity were associated with increased likelihood of waterpipe tobacco use in the past 6 months (each p < .05; unadjusted). Traditional retailer proximity and waterpipe café, vape shop, and traditional retailer density were not associated with tobacco use. Conclusions: Waterpipe cafés and vape shops are located in both impoverished and college-educated communities in North Carolina and Virginia, similar to where traditional tobacco retailers are located. Further research is needed to examine associations with tobacco use.

Keywords:

• Young adult
• tobacco use
• electronic cigarettes (electronic nicotine delivery systems – preferred)
• waterpipe

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this study was provided by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01CA141643. J.L.K.’s time on this study was supported by grant numbers K01CA253235-01 and P50CA180907 from the National Cancer Institute and the FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or the Food and Drug Administration. The funders had no role in designing the study, collecting, analyzing, or interpreting data, writing the manuscript, or deciding to submit the manuscript for publication.