The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be having a dramatic effect on local tobacco-control efforts across the U.S. Personnel have been repurposed in whole or in part to focus on responding to the virus, while the enforcement of tobacco regulations has been put on the back burner, if not entirely frozen.

In Philadelphia, for example, the closure of tobacco retailers due to the virus has impeded the implementation of new laws on flavored tobacco and vaping, which require inspectors to make in-person visits. “It’s a double-edged sword,” said ASPiRE CAB member Ryan Coffman, Tobacco Policy and Control Program Manager for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. “They’re not selling tobacco, but we can’t check them.” He said the closures could make it harder to evaluate the impact of the new laws in the future, although he hopes not.

Coffman has been partially repurposed to respond to the virus, but said many others have been repurposed completely. Compliance checks for all retail regulations in the city have stopped. He’s concerned that the refusals of tobacco retail permits for previous violations, like sales to minors, may be appealed by retailers claiming hardship due to the virus. Once things get back to normal, he worries, retailers will say they need to sell tobacco to get back on their feet.

“We’re sensitive to the fact that retailers have been going through a lot,” he said. “But the biggest killer in Philadelphia is still tobacco.” He added that it will be interesting to see the impact of COVID-1 on tobacco cessation. “Many smokers may believe it’s too dangerous to go out and buy tobacco and see it as an opportunity to quit,” he said. “Others will be too stressed out.”