The Impact of Tobacco Flavor Bans on Cross-Border Sales

This Report was written by John A. Tauras and Frank J. Chaloupka. The report examines the research on the effect of flavor bans on cross-border sales in the United States. This evidence largely comes from the experience of Massachusetts, the first state in the US to ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products in June 2020. Existing findings published in peer-reviewed academic journals suggest that Massachusetts's flavor ban did not lead to a significant increase in cross-border sales. Further, research on Canada's menthol cigarette ban suggests that it did not increase the use or purchasing of illicit menthol cigarettes. The review of evidence demonstrates that flavor bans can be implemented without significantly impacting cross-border sales.