Reducing youth access to tobacco retail outlets through zoning regulations in Virginia

The goal of this project is to help the 95 counties and 38 independent cities in Virginia and the other U.S. 7 states without tobacco retail outlet (TRO) licensure effectively utilize zoning regulations to reduce youth access to nicotine and tobacco. Through mixed methods such as geospatial analysis, concept mapping (CM: collecting rich, qualitative information from community planning and zoning experts), and development of a web-based toolkit, the study team will 1) analyze the extent to which vape shops are clustering around priority populations, 2) identify zoning opportunities that could be scaled and adapted to fit the needs of Virginia localities, and 3) disseminate findings directly to stakeholders by developing a tobacco commercial zoning policy toolkit to increase local policies effectively using zoning to reduce TRO density and youth access. Completing this project will help stakeholders in Virginia understand clustering strategies of nicotine retail outlets and implement zoning regulations combatting undesirable growth and inequitable distribution of outlets offering addictive and unlicensed products.

Scholars @ ECU