Tobacco sales and promotion in bars, cafes and nightclubs from large cities around the world
- Shahida Shahrir1,2,
- Heather Wipfli1,3,
- Erika Avila-Tang1,4,
- Patrick N Breysse1,4,
- Jonathan M Samet1,3,
- Ana Navas-Acien1,2,4,
- the FAMRI Bar Study Investigators
- 1Institute for Global Tobacco Control, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- 2Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- 3Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- 4Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Correspondence to Dr Ana Navas-Acien, Departments of Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe Street, Office W7033B, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; anavas{at}jhsph.edu
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Contributors AN-A, JMS and PNB had the idea for the study. SS, AN-A and HW directed the fieldwork. The FAMRI Bar Study Investigators directed the fieldwork within their country. EAT prepared the study database. SS and AN-A analysed the data and drafted the manuscript. All authors participated in the interpretation of the results and contributed to the writing of the manuscript.
- Received 20 September 2010
- Accepted 5 January 2011
- Published Online First 17 February 2011
Abstract
Context Little is known about tobacco promotion activities in low and middle-income countries. Information on tobacco sales, advertisement and promotion in bars, cafes and nightclubs is needed to develop interventions to reduce smoking initiation and relapse, particularly among youths and young adults.
Objective To evaluate cigarette sales and tobacco advertisement and promotion in bars, cafes and nightclubs using a volunteer survey approach in large cities throughout the world.
Methods Between 2007 and 2009, we administered an interview-based survey to 231 bar/cafe/nightclub owners/managers in 24 large cities in Africa, the Americas, Asia and eastern Europe.
Results Cigarette sales and tobacco advertisement and promotions were found in bars/cafes/nightclubs in most cities. Examples of promotions included cigarette giveaways and event sponsorship. Establishments that allowed smoking were more likely to sell cigarettes compared to smoke-free establishments (OR 8.67, 95% CI 3.25 to 23.1). Larger establishments (maximum occupancy ≥100 vs <100 customers) were more likely to have tobacco advertising (OR 4.35, 95% CI 2.04 to 9.24) and to receive promotional items from tobacco companies (OR 3.18, 95% CI 1.41 to 7.17).
Conclusions Cigarette sales and tobacco promotions were common in bars, cafes and nightclubs in the majority of cities. Socialising and hospitality venues must be covered by legislation banning tobacco sales and promotions to limit exposure among populations at high risk of tobacco initiation and relapse from quitting.
- Advertising
- bars
- cafes
- marketing
- nightclubs
- promotion
- tobacco industry
- advertising and promotion
- surveillance and monitoring
Footnotes
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Funding This project was supported by a Clinical Investigator Award from the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute (FAMRI).
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Competing interests None.
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Ethics approval The project was approved by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Institutional Review Board and by a local ethics committee in each participating country.
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Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
