. 2021 Jun;112(3):440-448.

doi: 10.17269/s41997-020-00453-9. Epub 2021 Jan 6.

Examining how changes in provincial policy on vape marketing impacted the distribution of vaping advertisements near secondary schools in London, Ontario

Gina Martin^{1

2

3}, Drew D Bowman^{1

2

3}, Megan Graat^{1

2

3}, Andrew F Clark^{1

2

3}, Alexander J Wray^{1

2

3}, Zoe Askwith^{1

2

3}, Jamie A Seabrook^{1

2

4

5

6

7}, Jason A Gilliland^{8

9

10

11

12

13

14}

Affiliations

¹ Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Western University, Room 2432, SSC, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada.
² Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6C 2V5, Canada.
³ Department of Geography and Environment, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada.
⁴ School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College at Western University, London, ON, N6G 1H2, Canada.
⁵ Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6A 4V2, Canada.
⁶ Department of Paediatrics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada.
⁷ Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada.
⁸ Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Western University, Room 2432, SSC, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.
⁹ Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6C 2V5, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.
¹⁰ Department of Geography and Environment, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.
¹¹ Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6A 4V2, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.
¹² Department of Paediatrics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.
¹³ Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.
¹⁴ School of Health Studies, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.

PMID: 33410122
PMCID: PMC8076358
DOI: 10.17269/s41997-020-00453-9

Examining how changes in provincial policy on vape marketing impacted the distribution of vaping advertisements near secondary schools in London, Ontario

Gina Martin et al. Can J Public Health. 2021 Jun.

. 2021 Jun;112(3):440-448.

doi: 10.17269/s41997-020-00453-9. Epub 2021 Jan 6.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Western University, Room 2432, SSC, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada.
² Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6C 2V5, Canada.
³ Department of Geography and Environment, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada.
⁴ School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College at Western University, London, ON, N6G 1H2, Canada.
⁵ Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6A 4V2, Canada.
⁶ Department of Paediatrics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada.
⁷ Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada.
⁸ Human Environments Analysis Laboratory, Western University, Room 2432, SSC, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.
⁹ Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6C 2V5, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.
¹⁰ Department of Geography and Environment, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.
¹¹ Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, N6A 4V2, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.
¹² Department of Paediatrics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.
¹³ Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.
¹⁴ School of Health Studies, Western University, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada. jgillila@uwo.ca.

PMID: 33410122
PMCID: PMC8076358
DOI: 10.17269/s41997-020-00453-9

Abstract
in English, French

Objectives: On January 1, 2020, the Government of Ontario passed a regulation banning vaping advertisements by retailers, apart from specialty shops. A motivation for this ban was to limit youth exposure to vaping advertisements. The primary goal of this research was to evaluate the impact of this ban on the number and density of vaping advertisements surrounding secondary schools. Additionally, we examined whether the number of vaping advertisements varied by school socio-demographic characteristics.

Methods: This study used a pre-post design. Audits were conducted December 2019 (pre-ban) and again January to February 2020 (post-ban), to identify vaping advertisements within 800 m surrounding secondary schools (n = 18) in London, Ontario.

Results: Prior to the ban, there were 266 vaping advertisements within 800 m of secondary schools. After the ban, this was reduced to 58, a 78.2% reduction. The mean number of vaping advertisements surrounding schools significantly decreased from 18.1 before the ban to 3.6 after the ban (p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was found, prior to the ban, between the number of vaping advertisements surrounding schools and school-level residential instability (r = 0.42, p = 0.02). After the ban, no significant correlations were found between the number of vaping advertisements and school socio-demographic characteristics.

Conclusion: The provincial ban of vaping advertisements in select retail settings significantly reduced the number of vaping advertisements in the areas surrounding secondary schools in London, Ontario. The ban also reduced socio-demographic inequities in youths' potential exposure to marketing of vaping products. Continued monitoring of the geographic accessibility and promotion of vaping products is warranted.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Le 1^er janvier 2020, le gouvernement de l’Ontario adoptait un règlement interdisant les annonces publicitaires sur le vapotage dans les magasins de détail, sauf dans les boutiques spécialisées. L’une des raisons de cette interdiction était de limiter l’exposition des jeunes à la publicité sur le vapotage. Notre étude visait principalement à évaluer les incidences de l’interdiction sur le nombre et la densité des annonces publicitaires sur le vapotage autour des écoles secondaires. Nous avons aussi cherché à déterminer si le nombre d’annonces publicitaires sur le vapotage variait selon le profil sociodémographique des écoles. MéTHODE: Un protocole avant-après été utilisé pour cette étude. Des audits ont été menés en décembre 2019 (avant l’interdiction), puis de nouveau en janvier et février 2020 (après l’interdiction) pour dénombrer les annonces publicitaires sur le vapotage dans un rayon de 800 m des écoles secondaires (n = 18) de London, en Ontario. RéSULTATS: Avant l’interdiction, il y avait 266 annonces publicitaires sur le vapotage dans un rayon de 800 m des écoles secondaires. Après l’interdiction, ce nombre n’était plus que de 58, soit une baisse de 78,2 %. Le nombre moyen d’annonces publicitaires sur le vapotage autour des écoles a diminué de façon significative, passant de 18,1 avant l’interdiction à 3,6 après (p < 0,001). Une corrélation positive significative a été observée, avant l’interdiction, entre le nombre d’annonces publicitaires sur le vapotage autour des écoles et l’instabilité résidentielle au niveau des écoles (r = 0,42, p = 0,02). Après l’interdiction, aucune corrélation significative n’a été observée entre le nombre d’annonces publicitaires sur le vapotage et le profil sociodémographique des écoles. CONCLUSIONS: L’interdiction provinciale des annonces publicitaires sur le vapotage dans certains magasins de détail a considérablement réduit le nombre de ces annonces dans les environs des écoles secondaires de London, en Ontario. L’interdiction a aussi réduit les iniquités sociodémographiques de l’exposition potentielle des jeunes au marketing des produits de vapotage. Il est justifié d’assurer une surveillance continue de l’accessibilité géographique et de la promotion des produits de vapotage.

Keywords: E-cigarettes; Marketing; Policy; Schools; Vaping; Youth.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

**Fig. 1**
Exterior facing vaping advertisements at retailers from audits conducted December 2019

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Examining how changes in provincial policy on vape marketing impacted the distribution of vaping advertisements near secondary schools in London, Ontario

Affiliations

Examining how changes in provincial policy on vape marketing impacted the distribution of vaping advertisements near secondary schools in London, Ontario

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract
in English, French

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

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Abstract in English, French

Conflict of interest statement

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Abstract
in English, French