Sale and promotion of tobacco products to youth around schools in a metropolitan city : A shoe leather survey

Objectives: Tobacco causes 6 million deaths globally and India accounts for one-sixth of the world’s tobacco- related deaths; 37.9% of children begin tobacco use by the age of 10 years in India. Our objective was to document tobacco retailers’ prevalence, point of sale (PoS) add and their attitude toward selling tobacco around educational institutions in Chennai metropolitan city. Materials and Methods: All the educational institutions in Mugappair, Chennai city were shoe leather surveyed in May 2014. A total of 26 institutions and all the retailers within 100 yards were surveyed for PoS, advertisement, no sale to minor signage, and institutional sign regarding ban on sale of tobacco within 100 yards of premises. Retailers also filled a self-administered questionnaire on their attitude toward selling tobacco. Results: A total of 57 retailers within 100 yards of the institution were surveyed. About 94.7% sold tobacco, of which 31 were shops, 15 were cafes, and 8 were temporary settlements meant only for sales of tobacco. About 73% were located within 10 m from the institutions. Only one institution displayed tobacco ban and one retailer had ban on tobacco sale to minor signage. About 47.3% did not want to stop selling tobacco, 68.4% reported tobacco sale profitable, and 78.9% suggested stopping production of tobacco to improve compliance (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Unrestricted availability, access to tobacco among the youth, and enactment nonfeasance toward tobacco control laws were widely prevalent. Our observations can help formulate specific programs to counteract tobacco epidemic prevalent among youth of this nation.

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Difference between recommended retail price and sales price for tobacco products in independent and convenience (small) retailers before and after the introduction of standardised tobacco packaging in the UK

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2018-054409 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 449-456 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nathan Critchlow ◽

Martine Stead ◽

Crawford Moodie ◽

Kathryn Angus ◽

Douglas Eadie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Retail Price ◽

Price Sensitivity ◽

Brand Positioning ◽

Average Difference ◽

Product Positioning ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

Sales Price ◽

Point Of Sale ◽

Before And After ◽

The Uk

AimRecommended retail price (RRP) is a marketing strategy used by tobacco companies to maintain competitiveness, communicate product positioning and drive sales. We explored small retailer adherence to RRP before and after the introduction of the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations in the UK (fully implemented on 20 May 2017) which mandated standardised packaging of cigarettes and rolling tobacco, set minimum pack/pouch sizes and prohibited price-marking.MethodMonthly electronic point of sale data from 500 small retailers in England, Scotland and Wales were analysed. From May 2016 to October 2017, we monitored 20 of the best-selling fully branded tobacco products (15 factory-made cigarettes, 5 rolling tobacco) and their standardised equivalents. Adherence to RRP was measured as the average difference (%) between monthly RRPs and sales prices by pack type (fully branded vs standardised), price-marking on packaging and price segment.ResultsThe average difference between RRP and sales price increased from +0.36% above RRP (SD=0.72) in May 2016, when only fully branded packs were sold, to +1.37% in October 2017 (SD=0.30), when standardised packs were mandatory. Increases above RRP for fully branded packs increased as they were phased out, with deviation greater for non-price-marked packs and premium products.DiscussionDespite tobacco companies emphasising the importance of RRP, small retailers implemented small increases above RRP as standardised packaging was introduced. Consequently, any intended price changes by tobacco companies in response to the legislation (ie, to increase affordability or brand positioning) may be confounded by retailer behaviour, and such deviation may increase consumer price sensitivity.

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Electronic cigarettes: the solution or yet another phase of the tobacco epidemic?

South African Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1177/0081246318794828 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 199-205

Author(s):

Catherine O Egbe ◽

Charles DH Parry ◽

Bronwyn Myers

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Tobacco Use ◽

Electronic Cigarettes ◽

Tobacco Product ◽

World Health ◽

Global Public Health ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

Tobacco Epidemic ◽

The Individual

Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of death globally. For years, the tobacco industry sought to create a tobacco product that is less controversial than conventional cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes were created out of the supposed need to supply consumers of tobacco products with a less harmful tobacco product. The question remains, is it really less harmful for consumers of traditional cigarettes and other tobacco products to switch to electronic cigarettes? This article takes a closer look at the overall harm in relation to benefits of using electronic cigarettes for the individual and public health and the unintended negative consequences the introduction of electronic cigarette has had on overall public health. Given the evidence that the use of electronic cigarettes is a gateway to the use of other tobacco products especially among adolescents, we view electronic cigarettes as having the potential to cause a rebound of the tobacco use glut which the global public health community has been succeeding in reversing. We therefore support the World Health Organization’s suggestion that electronic cigarettes should be regulated as other tobacco products since there is, as yet, no harmless tobacco product. In the same vein, we view the new Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill seeking to regulate electronic cigarettes in South Africa as other tobacco products as a step in the right direction.

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Pictorial warnings on tobacco products at the point of sale in India: Figure 1

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050035 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 450-451 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Mira Aghi ◽

Kunal Oswal ◽

Mangesh Pednekar ◽

Alexander Cyril ◽

Stupa Biswas

Keyword(s):

Tobacco Products ◽

Point Of Sale ◽

Pictorial Warnings

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Compliance of a Government Act on Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products around Educational Institutions of Noida

10.17352/ojbb.000001 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 001-003

Author(s):

S Sayeed ◽

S Labani ◽

S Asthana

Keyword(s):

Educational Institutions ◽

Tobacco Products

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Visual Attention to Tobacco-Related Stimuli in a 3D Virtual Store

10.3768/rtipress.2020.rr.0036.2005 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Lauren M. Dutra ◽

James Nonnemaker ◽

Nathaniel Taylor ◽

Ashley Feld ◽

Brian Bradfield ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Visual Attention ◽

Eye Tracking ◽

Dwell Time ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Tobacco Product ◽

Convenience Store ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

Point Of Sale ◽

Current Cigarette ◽

Store Environment

We used eye tracking to measure visual attention to tobacco products and pro- and anti-tobacco advertisements (pro-ads and anti-ads) during a shopping task in a three-dimensional virtual convenience store. We used eye-tracking hardware to track the percentage of fixations (number of times the eye was essentially stationary; F) and dwell time (time spent looking at an object; DT) for several categories of objects and ads for 30 adult current cigarette smokers. We used Wald F-tests to compare fixations and dwell time across categories, adjusting comparisons of ads by the number of each type of ad. Overall, unadjusted for the number of each object, participants focused significantly greater attention on snacks and drinks and tobacco products than ads (all P<0.005). Adjusting for the number of each type of ad viewed, participants devoted significantly greater visual attention to pro-ads than anti-ads or ads unrelated to tobacco (P<0.001). Visual attention for anti-ads was significantly greater when the ads were placed on the store’s external walls or hung from the ceiling than when placed on the gas pump or floor (P<0.005). In a cluttered convenience store environment, anti-ads at the point of sale have to compete with many other stimuli. Restrictions on tobacco product displays and advertisements at the point of sale could reduce the stimuli that attract smokers’ attention away from anti-ads.

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Romanian students’ attitude and opinion about the smoke-free indoors law

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz186.478 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

I M Prejbeanu ◽

O Pita ◽

M L Cara

Keyword(s):

Public Transport ◽

Public Spaces ◽

Second Hand Smoke ◽

Public Places ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

Maximum Security ◽

Item Questionnaire ◽

Tobacco Epidemic ◽

Males And Females ◽

The Law

Abstract The Romanian Parliament approved the first piece of legislation regarding smoking in public places in 2002; smoking was banned in most indoors but allowed in bars and restaurants. The law has been amended several times; the 2016 amendment banned smoking in nearly all indoor public spaces, in indoor workplaces, in playgrounds and on public transport; there are only two exceptions to the law - cells in maximum security prisons and designated rooms in the transit areas of international airports. In this context, we asked 498 students (in Law, Business Administration, Electronics, Languages, Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy or Nursing), aged 21.93 ± 4.21 years, males and females, to answer a 23-item questionnaire on cigarettes smoking; the questionnaire included seven questions related to the Romanian smoke-free indoors law. A number of 131 students (26.3%) are cigarettes-smokers; there are statistically significant differences among the faculties subgroups (p < 0.01), the highest percent of smokers being in Dentistry (50%) and the lowest - in Languages (13%). Most of the students (N = 466 - 93.6%) agree with the smoke-free indoors law; the disagreement is registered among the smokers (27 vs. 5 non-smokers, p < 0.001). A number of 360 subjects (72.29%) mention they met situations of smoking in public places: in bars/clubs/restaurants (73.3%), staircases of blocks of flats (56.1%), public transport or taxis (44.1%), even hospitals (8.3%) and classrooms (7.7%). In 75.8% out of these situations nobody took attitude; 40 students (11.1%) acted themselves and drew attention (most often successfully) to the smokers about breaking the law. One fifth of the smokers of the group have also smoked/intended to smoke in public places; most of them are students in Electronics and just one - in Law (p < 0.05). Romanian students seem to be content with the ban of indoor smoking. Actions to reduce consumption of tobacco products and to protect public health have to be continued. Key messages Romanian young people seem to be content with the decrease of second hand smoke in indoor public spaces. Intense actions to combat the tobacco epidemic are still needed in Romania.

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Point-of-sale marketing of little cigars and cigarillos on and near California Tribal lands

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2018-054558 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 122-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sabrina L Smiley ◽

Claradina Soto ◽

Tess Boley Cruz ◽

Natalie Kintz ◽

Yaneth L Rodriguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

American Indians ◽

Health Workers ◽

Easy Access ◽

Price Promotions ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

Point Of Sale ◽

Tobacco Marketing ◽

The Usa ◽

Store Location ◽

Tribal Lands

IntroductionAmerican Indians have the highest cigarette smoking prevalence of any racial/ethnic group in the USA. Tobacco marketing at point-of-sale is associated with smoking, possibly due to easy access to cheap tobacco products. The sale of novel tobacco products like little cigars/cigarillos (LCCs) has increased in recent years which may further increase combustible tobacco use among American Indians.MethodsBetween October 2015 and February 2017, trained community health workers collected LCC product and price information by conducting audits of tobacco retailers on Tribal lands (n=53) and retailers within a 1-mile radius of Tribal lands (n=43) in California. Χ2 analyses were performed to examine associations among the availability and advertising of LCCs, including indoor price promotions and store location.ResultsOverall, 85.4% of stores sold LCCs, 76.0% sold flavoured LCCs and 51.0% sold LCCs for less than $1. Indoor price promotions were displayed at 45 (46.9%) stores. Stores within a 1-mile radius of Tribal lands sold significantly more LCC (p<0.01) and flavoured LCCs (p=0.01) than stores on Tribal lands. Stores within a 1-mile radius of Tribal lands also displayed significantly more LCCs priced at less than $1 (p<0.01) than stores on Tribal lands.ConclusionsLCCs are widely available in stores on and near California Tribal lands. Stores located a short distance away from Tribal lands were more likely to sell LCCs, including flavoured versions, more likely to sell LCCs priced below $1, and more likely to advertise little LCC price promotions than stores on Tribal lands. Policy-makers and Tribal leaders should consider regulations that would limit access to LCCs at point of sale to help prevent youth initiation and reduce smoking-related morbidity and mortality among American Indians.

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Heated tobacco products: another tobacco industry global strategy to slow progress in tobacco control

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2018-054340 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 27 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. s111-s117 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Stella A Bialous ◽

Stanton A Glantz

Keyword(s):

Harm Reduction ◽

Tobacco Control ◽

Tobacco Consumption ◽

Tobacco Product ◽

Global Strategy ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

Control Policies ◽

Tobacco Control Policies ◽

Tobacco Epidemic ◽

Slow Progress

There has been a global decline in tobacco consumption that, if continued, will negatively impact the tobacco industry’s profits. This decline led the industry to invent and market new products, including heated tobacco products (HTP). HTP are an extension of the industry’s strategies to undermine government’s tobacco regulatory efforts as they are being promoted as part of the solution for the tobacco epidemic. Under the moniker of ‘harm reduction’, the tobacco companies are attempting to rehabilitate their reputation so they can more effectively influence governments to roll back existing tobacco control policies or create exemptions for their HTP. Rolling back tobacco control policies will make it easier for the companies to renormalise tobacco use to increase social acceptability for all their products. When regulations are absent or when loopholes exist in classifying HTP as a tobacco product (thus subject to all tobacco control regulations), the industry’s marketing of HTP is making these products more visible to the public and more accessible. Governments need to ensure that HTP are regulated as tobacco products or drugs and reject partnerships with the tobacco companies to promote ‘harm reduction’. The tobacco companies remain the vector of the tobacco-caused epidemic and cannot be part of the global tobacco control solution.

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Heated tobacco product regulation under US law and the FCTC

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2018-054560 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 27 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. s118-s125 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Lauren Kass Lempert ◽

Stanton A Glantz

Keyword(s):

Tobacco Control ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Tobacco Product ◽

Product Labelling ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

Control Laws ◽

The Public ◽

Philip Morris ◽

Product Regulation ◽

The Usa

Tobacco companies are marketing new ‘heated tobacco products’ (HTPs) composed of battery-powered holders, chargers and tobacco plugs or sticks. The non-tobacco HTP components have escaped effective regulation under many countries’ tobacco control laws because they are packaged and sold separately from the tobacco-containing components. In the USA, HTPs cannot be marketed unless the Food and Drug Administration determines that allowing their sale would be ‘appropriate for the protection of the public health’. Philip Morris International (PMI) is seeking permission to market its IQOS HTP in the USA with ‘modified risk tobacco product’ (MRTP) claims that it reduces exposure to harmful substances and is less harmful than other tobacco products. However, PMI has not submitted adequate scientific evidence required by US law to demonstrate that the product is significantly less harmful to users than other tobacco products, that its labelling would not mislead consumers, or that its marketing—with or without MRTP claims—would benefit the health of the population as a whole. Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) must take measures to reduce tobacco use and nicotine addiction, and prevent false or misleading tobacco product labelling, advertising and promotions; the introduction of new HTPs must be assessed according to these goals. All components of HTPs should be regulated at least as stringently as existing tobacco products, including restrictions on labelling, advertising, promotion and sponsorship, sales to minors, price and taxation policies and smokefree measures. There is nothing in US law or the FCTC that prevents authorities from prohibiting HTPs.

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