Samir S Khariwala1, Apurva Garg2, Irina Stepanov3, Prakash C Gupta4, Jasjit S Ahluwalia5, Vikram Gota6, Pankaj Chaturvedi2. 1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA. 2. Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India. 3. Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA. 4. Healis-Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health, Navi Mumbai, India. 5. School of Public Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, USA. 6. Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Navi Mumbai, India.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: In India, a 2003 law ("COPTA") banned tobacco advertising with the exception of "point of sale" and "on-pack" advertising. Given substantial evidence regarding the impact of point of sale advertising (PoS), we analyzed the prevalence of encountering such advertising in Mumbai, India. METHODS: A survey was conducted of 199 current and recent former tobacco users recruited at the Tata Memorial Hospital (Mumbai). Enrollees were queried regarding their exposure to tobacco advertising in the last 30 days through multiple media sources. Descriptive epidemiologic techniques were used to characterize the data. RESULTS: Overall, 95% of participants were men and 5% were women (mean age=49 years). All were current tobacco users or quit using all forms of tobacco in the last 60 days. Participants' responses revealed that PoS tobacco advertising had been encountered in the last 30 days for cigarettes (61%), bidis (54%), and smokeless tobacco (59%). Other forms of tobacco advertising were virtually non-existent. CONCLUSIONS: PoS tobacco advertising remains prominent and highly visible to consumers in Mumbai, India, indicating corporate exploitation of a loophole in the COPTA legislation. Given the observed compliance with the currently imposed bans, revisions of COPTA to include all forms of tobacco promotion and advertising would be impactful.
OBJECTIVES: In India, a 2003 law ("COPTA") banned tobacco advertising with the exception of "point of sale" and "on-pack" advertising. Given substantial evidence regarding the impact of point of sale advertising (PoS), we analyzed the prevalence of encountering such advertising in Mumbai, India. METHODS: A survey was conducted of 199 current and recent former tobacco users recruited at the Tata Memorial Hospital (Mumbai). Enrollees were queried regarding their exposure to tobacco advertising in the last 30 days through multiple media sources. Descriptive epidemiologic techniques were used to characterize the data. RESULTS: Overall, 95% of participants were men and 5% were women (mean age=49 years). All were current tobacco users or quit using all forms of tobacco in the last 60 days. Participants' responses revealed that PoStobacco advertising had been encountered in the last 30 days for cigarettes (61%), bidis (54%), and smokeless tobacco (59%). Other forms of tobacco advertising were virtually non-existent. CONCLUSIONS:PoStobacco advertising remains prominent and highly visible to consumers in Mumbai, India, indicating corporate exploitation of a loophole in the COPTA legislation. Given the observed compliance with the currently imposed bans, revisions of COPTA to include all forms of tobacco promotion and advertising would be impactful.
Entities:
Keywords:
India; advertising and promotion; global health; tobacco industry
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