Federal Grant Award Summary

Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, School of Nursing received a $654,688 Project Grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under the Cancer Cause and Prevention Research program (CFDA 93.393), effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2031. This research initiative will conduct a comprehensive retrospective analysis of flavored cigar policy implementation across U.S. municipalities to identify effective strategies for reducing cigar sales and consumption. The project leverages a natural experiment approach to examine how local policies restricting flavored cigars are implemented in practice, recognizing that written policies often diverge from actual implementation. Given that over 9 million adults and 1 million youth reported cigar use in the past 30 days as of 2023, understanding implementation effectiveness is critical for advancing public health outcomes.

The study will generate critical implementation science data and develop a policy implementation measurement tool that accounts for differential implementation across jurisdictions. By analyzing heterogeneity in municipal implementation strategies and their outcomes, the research will identify which approaches most effectively curtail cigar sales and use while advancing broader dissemination and implementation science methodologies. The findings will inform best practices for implementing local public health policies and provide evidence-based guidance for jurisdictions seeking to strengthen flavored cigar restrictions, ultimately contributing to improved cancer prevention and control strategies.