Home
Issues
Aims and Scope
Open Access
Editorial Board
Indexing
Why publish with us
Contact us
Instructions to authors (PDF)
Manuscript Types
Manuscript Formatting
How to submit
Preprints
Special Publications & Reprints
Authorship & COI
Principles of Transparency Checklist
Data Policies
Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement
SHORT REPORT
Surveillance of tobacco retail density in Beirut, Lebanon using electronic tablet technology
1
Department of Health Services Policy & Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA
2
Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
3
Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
4
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA
5
School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, USA
Submission date: 2014-01-22
Acceptance date: 2014-02-14
Publication date: 2014-02-17
Corresponding author
Ramzi G Salloum
Department of Health Services Policy & Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Suite 351, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Department of Health Services Policy & Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Suite 351, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Tobacco Induced Diseases 2014;12(February):3
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Background:
Lebanon has alarmingly high rates of tobacco use. The objective of this study is to examine the density of tobacco retail outlets and distance to schools as well as to survey retail pricing in a large district of Beirut, Lebanon.
Results:
We observed 100 tobacco retail outlets and collected data using iPad® technology. Store locations were recorded with Global Positioning System coordinates. The distances between all pairs of tobacco retail outlets and all schools were calculated. For 52% of tobacco outlets, the nearest distance to other tobacco retail outlets was < 50 meters and 17% were within a 100-meter radius of a school. We found a high proportion of tobacco retailers with close proximity to schools. The overall retailer density was 1.25 stores per 1,000 people.
Conclusions:
These findings call for additional regulation including the establishment of strict density standards
Lebanon has alarmingly high rates of tobacco use. The objective of this study is to examine the density of tobacco retail outlets and distance to schools as well as to survey retail pricing in a large district of Beirut, Lebanon.
Results:
We observed 100 tobacco retail outlets and collected data using iPad® technology. Store locations were recorded with Global Positioning System coordinates. The distances between all pairs of tobacco retail outlets and all schools were calculated. For 52% of tobacco outlets, the nearest distance to other tobacco retail outlets was < 50 meters and 17% were within a 100-meter radius of a school. We found a high proportion of tobacco retailers with close proximity to schools. The overall retailer density was 1.25 stores per 1,000 people.
Conclusions:
These findings call for additional regulation including the establishment of strict density standards
REFERENCES (14)
1.
Maziak W, Nakkash R, Bahelah R, Husseini A, Fanous N, Eissenberg T: Tobacco in the Arab world: old and new epidemics amidst policy paralysis. Health Policy Plan. 2013, epub ahead of print, doi:10.1093/heapol/czt055.
2.
Maziak W, Nakkash R, Soweid RA: Lebanon: young stars turned to smoke. Tob Control. 2006, 15 (2): 80-81.
3.
Nakkash R, Lee K: The tobacco industry’s thwarting of marketing restrictions and health warnings in Lebanon. Tob Control. 2009, 18 (4): 310-316. 10.1136/tc.2008.029405.
5.
Salloum RG, Nakkash RT, Myers AE, Wood KA, Ribisl KM: Point-of-sale tobacco advertising in Beirut, Lebanon following a national advertising ban. BMC Public Health. 2013, 13 (1): 534-10.1186/1471-2458-13-534.
6.
Korfali SI, Jurdi M: Assessment of domestic water quality: case study, Beirut, Lebanon. Environ Monit Assess. 2007, 135 (1–3): 241-251.
7.
Lee JG, Henriksen L, Myers AE, Dauphinee AL, Ribisl KM: A systematic review of store audit methods for assessing tobacco marketing and products at the point of sale. Tob Control. 2014, 23 (2): 98-106. 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2012-050807.
8.
Gong T, Lv J, Liu Q, Ren Y, Li L, Kawachi I, Community Interventions for Health (CIH) Collaboration: Audit of tobacco retail outlets in Hangzhou, China. Tob Control. 2013, 22 (4): 245-249. 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050038.
9.
Schensul JJ, Nair S, Bilgi S, Cromley E, Kadam V, Mello SD, Donta B: Availability, accessibility and promotion of smokeless tobacco in a low-income area of Mumbai. Tob Control. 2013, 22 (5): 324-330. 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050148.
10.
Barnoya J, Mejia R, Szeinman D, Kummerfeldt CE: Tobacco point-of-sale advertising in Guatemala City, Guatemala and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Tob Control. 2010, 19 (4): 338-341. 10.1136/tc.2009.031898.
11.
Chaiton MO, Mecredy GC, Cohen JE, Tilson ML: Tobacco retail outlets and vulnerable populations in Ontario, Canada. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2013, 10 (12): 7299-7309. 10.3390/ijerph10127299.
12.
Loomis BR, Kim AE, Busey AH, Farrelly MC, Willett JG, Juster HR: The density of tobacco retailers and its association with attitudes toward smoking, exposure to point-of-sale tobacco advertising, cigarette purchasing, and smoking among New York youth. Prev Med. 2012, 55 (5): 468-474. 10.1016/j.ypmed.2012.08.014.
13.
Henriksen L, Feighery EC, Schleicher NC, Cowling DW, Kline RS, Fortmann SP: Is adolescent smoking related to the density and proximity of tobacco outlets and retail cigarette advertising near schools?. Prev Med. 2008, 47 (2): 210-214. 10.1016/j.ypmed.2008.04.008.
14.
Henriksen L: Comprehensive tobacco marketing restrictions: promotion, packaging, price and place. Tob Control. 2012, 21 (2): 147-153. 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050416.
CITATIONS (4):
1.
The relationship between proximity of tobacco retail outlets to schools and tobacco use among school personnel in sub-Saharan Africa
Israel T. Agaku, Akinyele O. Adisa, Uyoyo T. Omaduvie, Constantine I. Vardavas
Preventive Medicine
Israel T. Agaku, Akinyele O. Adisa, Uyoyo T. Omaduvie, Constantine I. Vardavas
Preventive Medicine
2.
Assessing Preferences for a University-Based Smoking Cessation Program in Lebanon: A Discrete Choice Experiment
R. G. Salloum, C. W. Abbyad, R. E. Kohler, A. K. Kratka, L. Oh, K. A. Wood
Nicotine & Tobacco Research
R. G. Salloum, C. W. Abbyad, R. E. Kohler, A. K. Kratka, L. Oh, K. A. Wood
Nicotine & Tobacco Research
3.
What impact would tobacco retailer proximity limit have on tobacco availability in New Zealand?
Louise Marsh, Crile Doscher, Ella Iosua, Robin Quigg, Melanie Tomintz
Tobacco Control
Louise Marsh, Crile Doscher, Ella Iosua, Robin Quigg, Melanie Tomintz
Tobacco Control
4.
The Lebanese Regie state-owned tobacco monopoly: lessons to inform monopoly-focused endgame strategies
Hala Alaouie, J Branston, Michael Bloomfield
BMC Public Health
Hala Alaouie, J Branston, Michael Bloomfield
BMC Public Health
Share
| eISSN: | 1617-9625 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
