An ASPiRE team that included Shelley Golden, Todd Combs, Kurt Ribisl, and Chris Baggett examined the role of consumer demand and supply of tobacco in the retail environment in the association between tobacco retailer density and smoking prevalence. Study results indicated that policies that restrict access to retail tobacco have the potential to reduce smoking prevalence, but that retailers may also respond to consumer demand for tobacco products. The most effective regulations may be ones that combine retail environment regulations with those that reduce consumer demand, such as price increases, cessation services, package warnings, and communications campaigns.

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