Marketing of flavored cigarettes at the point-of-sale (POS) near schools in 5 Latin American cities
More details
Hide details
1
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Institute for Global Tobacco Control, Health, Behavior and Society, United States of America
Publication date: 2018-03-01
Tob. Induc. Dis. 2018;16(Suppl 1):A739
Download abstract book (PDF)
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background:
From 2010-2015, sales of cigarettes with menthol or flavor
capsules increased in some Latin American countries, amid efforts to regulate
the use of additives in tobacco products, and to restrict tobacco advertising,
promotion, and sponsorship (TAPS) tactics. This study describes the
availability and marketing of flavored cigarettes at the POS in Argentina,
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Peru.
Methods:
Trained
observers recorded information about cigarette product displays, advertising,
and special promotions in January of 2017, from 1,188 retailers located within
100-250 meters of 310 primary and secondary schools in a major city in each of
the five countries. Retailers were identified by following a map to walk all
streets located within the designated radius surrounding each school.
Results:
Cigarette retailers were identified within 91.9% (n=285) of the radii
observed, and among 69.4% of (n=825) retail outlets identified by data
collectors. Flavored cigarettes were for sale in 85.2% (n=703) of all cigarette
retailers, 71.4% (n=589) sold cigarettes with flavor capsules, and 41.5%
(n=342) sold loose cigarettes. Mint/menthol was the most frequently observed flavor
descriptor (74.1%, n=521), followed by non-conventional descriptors (69.6 %, n=
489) such as "Fusion Blast", "Double Click", and "Ruby Ice". Flavored packs were displayed in 92.3% (n=649)
of flavored cigarette retailers, typically in the cashier zone (72.2%, n=512)
and near sweets/snacks (59.2%, n=416). Advertising for flavored cigarettes was
observed in 34.3% (n=241) of flavored cigarette retailers, and special
promotions for flavored cigarettes were offered in 7.3% (n=51) of flavored cigarette
retailers.
Conclusions:
Mint/menthol cigarettes
and packs carrying innovative flavor descriptors, which appeal to youth and
facilitate smoking uptake, are frequently sold and prominently displayed near
schools in these Latin American cities. These findings can inform efforts to
prohibit POS marketing and ban the use of additives in cigarettes. Future
research should characterize the content and appeal of flavored cigarette
marketing.
CITATIONS (2):
1.
Flavour capsule cigarette use and perceptions: a systematic review
Christina Kyriakos, Mateusz Zatoński, Filippos Filippidis
Tobacco Control
2.
Menthol and flavored tobacco products in LMICs: A growing
menace
Mateusz Zatoński, Karin Silver, Sarah Plummer, Rosemary Hiscock
Tobacco Induced Diseases