Two large studies conducted in Finland found the closer that smokers live to retail establishments selling tobacco products, the harder it is for smokers to quit.
Each 500-meter increase in distance from home to the nearest tobacco outlet was associated with a 16% increase in odds of quitting smoking in adjusted between-individual analysis and a 57% increase in within-individual analysis.
Smoking cessation efforts should consider initiatives aimed at reducing the number of retail establishments that sell tobacco, such as banning sales near schools or offering incentives to get retailers to stop selling the products.
