Licensing reduces retail density in Philadelphia

Licensing reduces retail density in Philadelphia

Three years after retailer licensing regulations were implemented in Philadelphia, tobacco retailer density declined by more than 20%, according to a new paper co-authored by ASPiRE CAB member Ryan Coffman of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, concluded that licensing can reduce tobacco marketing, lessen disparities in retail density, and reduce the number of tobacco outlets near schools. Coffman will be presenting the results of the study at the CAB meeting in May.