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●Strong MFPLs can prevent price manipulation by geographic area or by brand, thereby reducing
<br />tobacco industry targeting of people of color and other underserved communities. For example,
<br />cigarettes are often cheaper in low-income communities, communities with greater populations
<br />of African American residents, and communities with more school-age youth.
<br />20
<br />●Studies show that menthol cigarettes, little cigars, and cigarillos in particular are less expensive
<br />and more frequently discounted in African American neighborhoods.
<br />21
<br />●Similarly, little cigars and cigarillos often cost less in communities with more young adults.
<br />22
<br />●Establishing minimum floor prices for each type of tobacco product across a jurisdiction can
<br />prevent much of this predatory targeting.
<br />●REDUCE INCOME-BASED DISPARITIES IN SMOKING RATES. Smoking rates among low-income
<br />populations are significantly higher than among those with higher incomes,
<br />23 in large part due to
<br />the tobacco industry’s targeted marketing and discounting practices in low income communities.
<br />●Beyond offering steeper discounts in low-income neighborhoods, tobacco companies have
<br />historically exploited other channels to target these populations – for example, distributing
<br />coupons for cigarettes in the same envelope with SNAP benefits (formerly known as food
<br />stamps).24
<br />●Moreover, MFPLs may produce disproportionate benefits for low-income populations; research
<br />shows that low-income individuals are more likely to smoke the discount brands most affected by
<br />such policies.
<br />25
<br />●In fact, some models indicate that MFPLs would reduce cigarette consumption by up to 67%
<br />more than a comparable tax increase and that the greatest reductions in consumption would
<br />occur among low-income populations.
<br />26
<br />●It is important to keep in mind, however, that low-income individuals who smoke may face
<br />greater barriers to quitting and that the increased cost of tobacco products may contribute
<br />disproportionately to their financial hardship if they are unable to do so. Communities
<br />26 Golden SD, Farrelly MC, Luke DA, Ribisl KM. Comparing projected impacts of cigarette floor price and excise tax
<br />policies on socioeconomic disparities in smoking. Tobacco Control. 2016;25(Suppl 1):i60-i66.
<br />doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-053230.
<br />25 Cornelius ME, Driezen P, Fong GT, et al. Trends in the use of premium and discount cigarette brands: findings
<br />from the ITC US Surveys (2002–2011). Tobacco Control. 2014;23:i48-i53.
<br />24 Brown-Johnson CG, England LJ, Glantz SA, Ling PM. Tobacco industry marketing to low socio-economic status
<br />women in the USA. Tobacco Control. 2014;23(0):e139-e146. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2013-051224.
<br />23 Jamal A, Phillips E, Gentzke AS, et al. Current cigarette smoking among adults – United States, 2016. Morb
<br />Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018;67:53-59. doi:10.15585/ mmwr.mm6702a1.
<br />22 Cantrell J, Kreslake JM, Ganz O, et al. Marketing little cigars and cigarillos: advertising, price, and associations
<br />with neighborhood demographics. Am J Public Health. 2013;103(10):1902-1909. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2013.301362.
<br />21 Henriksen L, Schleicher NC, Dauphinee AL, Fortmann SP. Targeted advertising, promotion, and price for menthol
<br />cigarettes in California high school neighborhoods. Nicotine & Tobacco Res. 2012;14(1),1116-1121.
<br />doi:10.1093/ntr/ntr122.
<br />20 Henriksen L, Andersen-Rodgers E, Zhang X, et al. Neighborhood variation in the price of cheap tobacco products
<br />in California: results from health stores for a healthy community. Nicotine & Tobacco Res. 2017;19(11),1330-1337.
<br />doi:10.1093/ntr/ntx089; Khan T, Resnick EA, Liu Y, Barker DC, Chaloupka FJ. Cigarette Pricing Is Lowest in Black
<br />Neighborhoods: 2010-12. A Tobacconomics Research Brief. Chicago: Tobacconomics, Health Policy Center,
<br />Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago; 2015.
<br />Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking
<br />and Health; 2012.
<br />Association for Nonsmokers- MN www.ansrmn.org
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