The Institute for Global Tobacco Control (IGTC) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Tobacco Control and Governance Program at the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG) released two unique studies on Filipino consumer perceptions that collectively support the implementation of plain and standardized packaging as a way to heighten consumer awareness of tobacco-caused death and diseases as well as reduce the marketing appeal of tobacco among Filipino consumers.
IGTC’s published paper entitled, “Shared perceptions of flavored cigarette pack design among young adult smokers in Mexico and the Philippines,” confirms that cigarette pack designs echoing lifestyles and attitudinal aspirations appeal to the younger market, as well as flavored and colored products.
ASOG’s study, “Opportunities for Plain Packaging of Tobacco Products in the Philippines: Results of a Nationwide Online Survey,” involved a nationwide survey of 2,000 adults aged 18 to 65 years old who reside in the Philippines, to examine the perception of those who smoke on the potential impact and effectiveness of plain packaging, health warning labels, and reduced misleading information on tobacco packs on smoking-related and quitting-related behaviors.
The results showed that overall Filipinos believe that plain packaging will make graphic health warnings on tobacco products more effective, reduce the attractiveness of tobacco products, and limit the use of tobacco brand variants as a promotional tool. This could reduce youth experimentation, promote quitting among people who smoke, and prevent branding and glamorization–especially that which is targeted towards youth.
“Plain packaging will help the Philippines comply with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC),” said Gianna Gayle Amul, a research fellow from ASOG and principal author of the research. “Without such a provision, tobacco packaging remains a key marketing tool used by the tobacco industry to attract potential consumers, encourage brand identification, and normalize the use of a lethal but legal product.”
