A new study in Health Education Research compares data on the impact of point-of-sale (POS) tobacco display bans in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. The study’s authors analyzed data from the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey (ITC-4), a multi-country survey of adult smokers aged 18 years or older, for the period of 2006-2010.
At the time of the study, Australia and Canada had implemented POS display bans, while the United States and United Kingdom had not implemented these bans. The researchers found significant decreases in exposure to tobacco marketing in countries implementing bans on POS tobacco displays.
Key Findings
- From 2006 to 2010, smokers’ exposure to tobacco marketing decreased significantly from 74.1% to 6.1% in Canada and from 73.9% to 42.9% in Australia.
- From 2006 to 2010, smokers’ exposure to tobacco marketing remained high in the United States and increased slightly in the United Kingdom. Impulse purchasing of cigarettes was lower in Canada and Australia than in the United Kingdom and United States.
Key Messages
- Implementing POS tobacco display bans significantly reduces exposure to tobacco marketing and impulse cigarette purchases.
Full Citation: Li L, Borland R, Fong G, Thrasher J, Hammond D, Cummings K. Impact of point-of-sale tobacco display bans: findings from the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey. Health Education Research 2013. 1-13.
A link to the abstract [English only] can be found at: http://her.oxfordjournals.
Additional Resources: For additional information about tobacco advertising and promotion visit:http://global.
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Health Education Research publishes original, refereed papers dealing with all vital issues involved in health education and promotion worldwide.
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