Legislative provisions for standardised tobacco packaging and changes in public support in 27 European countries

2022 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2021-057068
Author(s):  
Sukriti KC ◽  
Filippos T Filippidis ◽  
Anthony A Laverty

BackgroundGlobal adoption of standardised packaging requirements for tobacco products is a victory for public health, but their proliferation and impacts rely partly on public support. How this is related to legislation remains underassessed. This study explored change over time in public support for standardised packaging in countries with varying degrees of legislative provisions.MethodsWe used data from 27 European countries, collected from 2017 (n=28, 300) and 2020 (n=27, 901) waves of the Eurobarometer survey, to assess self-reported support for standardised packaging regulations among both smokers and non-smokers. Countries were grouped into three categories of policy adoption (policy implemented; policy legislated; no legislation) and changes in support were assessed using multilevel Poisson regression models.ResultsIn 2020, public support for standardised packaging was 71% (95% CI 68% to 74%) in countries that implemented standardised packaging legislation, 57% (55% to 60%) in countries that had legislated but not yet implemented legislation and 41% (40%to 42%) in countries with no legislation. Compared with 2017, this represented a relative change of +8% (1% to 15%), +12% (5% to 21%) and −5% (95% CI −2% to −8%), respectively, in the three country categories. Among smokers, there was no indication of change in support across the three groups. Among non-smokers, support increased in countries with existing legislation (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]=1.14, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.23) and decreased in countries with no legislation (aPR=0.93, 0.90 to 0.97).ConclusionsPublic support for standardised packaging regulations increased in countries implementing and legislating for these measures, particularly among non-smokers. An overall increase in support provides reassurance for policymakers defending policy action on tobacco packaging, as well as for those seeking to implement standardised packaging in their own countries. 

2021 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2020-056398
Author(s):  
Jung Ah Lee ◽  
Cheolmin Lee ◽  
Hong-Jun Cho

IntroductionStealth use implies using tobacco products where their use is prohibited. This paper aimed to investigate stealth use of heated tobacco products (HTPs) in terms of its prevalence and associated factors.MethodsAn online survey was conducted to investigate the use of HTPs in 7000 randomly selected participants (2300 men and 4700 women, aged 20–69 years) from the database registered with an online-research company; we used a sex ratio of 1:2, considering a low female prevalence of tobacco use in Korea. Of total participants, 574 (8.2%) were current HTP users. Among them, we identified the participants who had practised HTPs stealth use, and evaluated associated factors using multivariable Poisson regression.ResultsA total of 574 participants were identified as current HTP users, and 455 (79.2%) reported stealth use of HTPs during the month before the survey. Stealth use was more frequent in dual cigarette users (HTPs and electronic cigarettes (ECs); adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 1.33, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.52) and triple users (HTPs, ECs and combustible cigarettes; aPR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.33), as compared with single-HTP users. Stealth use was more prevalent among participants who agreed with allowing indoor HTP use (aPR 1.18, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.26).ConclusionStealth use was prevalent among current HTP users, especially among the poly-users of tobacco products. Considering the positive relationship between an agreement with allowing indoor use of HTPs and stealth use, a campaign to promote change in attitudes of HTP users about their indoor use may be warranted to protect non-users.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (e1) ◽  
pp. e71-e76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Woelbert ◽  
Béatrice d’Hombres

ObjectiveThis paper examines whether there are possible wear-out effects associated with repeated exposure to pictorial health warnings on tobacco products. Wear-out effects can be general, that is, people get used to the presence of pictorial warnings in general, or specific to the content of the warnings (ie, the images used). Distinguishing between these two types of wear-out is important for understanding how to maintain the effectiveness of health warnings over time.MethodsThis study used data from two surveys carried out in 10 European countries. Participants (n=12 600) were exposed in a random order to a series of health warnings and assessed the salience of the warnings as well as their effects on smoking intentions. Using these data and country variations in health warning legislation, we tested whether warning pictures are subject to general and/or specific wear-out effects.ResultsResponses were stronger to combined text+picture warnings than to text-only warnings. This effect was lower for smokers living in countries where combined warnings were already in place at the time of the data collection, compared with smokers residing in countries where text-only warnings were in use. This result, observed for combined warnings with new pictures, is in line with the presence of general wear-out effects. Combined warnings with an unknown pictorial content were more effective than those including pictorial warnings already in use, suggesting that specific wear-out effects are also at play.ConclusionsThese findings strengthen the evidence that pictorial health warnings are an effective tool for tobacco control policies and suggest that, even in the presence of a general wear-out effect among smokers, periodically introducing new pictures helps to maintain warning effectiveness over time.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii68-iii77
Author(s):  
Janet Chung-Hall ◽  
Geoffrey T Fong ◽  
Gang Meng ◽  
Lorraine V Craig ◽  
Ann McNeill ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The 2016 European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) required Member States (MS) to implement new regulations for electronic cigarettes (ECs). We conducted a longitudinal study to assess changes over 2 years in smokers’ support for EC policies and identify predictors of support in seven European countries after TPD implementation. Methods Prospective cohort surveys were conducted among adult smokers in Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Spain and England in 2016 (n = 9547; just after TPD) and 2018 (n = 10 287; 2 years after TPD). Multivariable logistic regression models employing generalized estimating equations assessed changes in support for four EC policies, and tested for country differences and strength of key predictors of support. Results Banning EC use in smoke-free places was supported by 53.1% in 2016 and 54.6% in 2018 with a significant increase in Greece (51.7–66.0%) and a decrease in Spain (60.1–48.6%). Restricting EC/e-liquid nicotine content was supported by 52.2 and 47.4% in 2016 and 2018, respectively, with a significant decrease in England (54.2–46.5%) and Romania (52.5–41.0%). An EC promotion ban was supported by 41.1 and 40.2%. A flavour ban was supported by 33.3% and 32.3% with a significant increase in Hungary (34.3–43.3%). Support was generally higher in Poland, Hungary and Greece vs. England. Support was lower among dual and EC-only users, and low-income smokers. Conclusions Smokers in all countries strongly supported banning EC use in smoke-free places and restricting nicotine content after TPD implementation, with no clear trends for changes in policy support.


Author(s):  
Dafina Petrova ◽  
Marina Pollán ◽  
Miguel Rodriguez-Barranco ◽  
Dunia Garrido ◽  
Josep M. Borrás ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The patient interval—the time patients wait before consulting their physician after noticing cancer symptoms—contributes to diagnostic delays. We compared anticipated help-seeking times for cancer symptoms and perceived barriers to help-seeking before and after the coronavirus pandemic. Methods Two waves (pre-Coronavirus: February 2020, N = 3269; and post-Coronavirus: August 2020, N = 1500) of the Spanish Onco-barometer population survey were compared. The international ABC instrument was administered. Pre–post comparisons were performed using multiple logistic and Poisson regression models. Results There was a consistent and significant increase in anticipated times to help-seeking for 12 of 13 cancer symptoms, with the largest increases for breast changes (OR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.22–1–96) and unexplained bleeding (OR = 1.50, 1.26–1.79). Respondents were more likely to report barriers to help-seeking in the post wave, most notably worry about what the doctor may find (OR = 1.58, 1.35–1.84) and worry about wasting the doctor’s time (OR = 1.48, 1.25–1.74). Women and older individuals were the most affected. Conclusions Participants reported longer waiting times to help-seeking for cancer symptoms after the pandemic. There is an urgent need for public interventions encouraging people to consult their physicians with symptoms suggestive of cancer and counteracting the main barriers perceived during the pandemic situation.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-29
Author(s):  
Nic Cheeseman ◽  
Sishuwa Sishuwa

Abstract Democracy is one of the most contested words in the English language. In Africa, these complexities are compounded by the question of whether democracy is a colonial imposition. Cheeseman and Sishuwa provide a historiography of debates around democracy, track how these narratives have developed over time, and argue that there is widespread public support for a form of what they call “consensual democracy.” This is not to say that democracy is universally loved, but despite the controversy it remains one of the most compelling ideals in political life, even in countries in which it is has yet to be realized.


2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 1900941 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charis Girvalaki ◽  
Manolis Tzatzarakis ◽  
Alexander Vardavas ◽  
Christina N. Kyriakos ◽  
Katerina Nikitara ◽  
...  

2010 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew A. Baum ◽  
Tim Groeling

AbstractPrevailing theories hold that U.S. public support for a war depends primarily on its degree of success, U.S. casualties, or conflict goals. Yet, research into the framing of foreign policy shows that public perceptions concerning each of these factors are often endogenous and malleable by elites. In this article, we argue that both elite rhetoric and the situation on the ground in the conflict affect public opinion, but the qualities that make such information persuasive vary over time and with circumstances. Early in a conflict, elites (especially the president) have an informational advantage that renders public perceptions of “reality” very elastic. As events unfold and as the public gathers more information, this elasticity recedes, allowing alternative frames to challenge the administration's preferred frame. We predict that over time the marginal impact of elite rhetoric and reality will decrease, although a sustained change in events may eventually restore their influence. We test our argument through a content analysis of news coverage of the Iraq war from 2003 through 2007, an original survey of public attitudes regarding Iraq, and partially disaggregated data from more than 200 surveys of public opinion on the war.


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