Findings of a study warrants increased enforcement of current laws and comprehensive national tobacco advertising and display ban, according to the Institute for Global Tobacco Control (IGTC).
IGTC in an observational study found tobacco and nicotine product sale and advertising persist within proximity of schools in the Philippines, despite regulations prohibiting sales, displays, advertisements, and promotions of tobacco products within 100 meters.
The study monitored the sale and marketing of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products (HTPs) at 6,617 retailers within 200 meters of 353 schools in urban and rural areas of nine Filipino cities/regions, between December 2022 and January 2023.
The monitoring showed 2,070 cigarette, 43 e-cigarette, and 33 HTP retail locations were observed within 100 meters of the majority of schools.
Findings also showed that despite policies requiring signage indicating that sales are prohibited to people under 21 years of age, only 11 percent of cigarette retailers, 4 percent of e-cigarette retailers, and 48 percent of HTP retailers had the requisite signage visible.
An overwhelming 98 percent of cigarette retailers sold single stick cigarettes, and indoor and outdoor advertising (e.g., graphic printed signage/posters) were common across all retailer types.
Flavored tobacco and nicotine products were also commonly available across retailers, including 90 percent of cigarette retailers and 98 percent of e-cigarette and HTP retailers.
“Stricter enforcement of existing policies prohibiting sales and advertising of tobacco products within 100 meters of schools and implementation of a national comprehensive policy on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship can protect the well-being of Filipino youth and reduce the rate of tobacco-caused death and disease in the Philippines,” said
Jennifer Brown, a scientist from the IGTC at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health and the study investigator.
IGTC said implementing a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship is one of the most cost-effective and high-impact ways that countries can reduce demand for tobacco.
