Abstract
Methods: Observations were conducted on the number of cigarette advertisements visible from outside tobacco retail establishments in a paired convenience sample (n = 556) in Massachusetts before and after the MSA. Archival databases containing information on merchant compliance with age related sales laws during the time period were used to assess the relation of total cigarette advertising with sales to underage youth. Paired sample t tests assessed planned comparisons pre- to post-MSA; Spearman's ρ tested associations for dichotomous variables.
Results: Significant post-ban increases were observed in the prevalence of exterior cigarette advertising on gas (petrol) stations and gas mini/marts (gasoline retailers) buildings, windows, and doors. Significant declines were observed on windows of liquor stores. Winston advertising declined overall, while advertisements of the "all other" brand category increased. Correlations between advertising and illegal sales, while modest, were significant.
Conclusions: These pre- to post-MSA increases suggest the tobacco industry may be shifting expenditures selectively from billboard advertising to retailer exteriors more favoured by youth. Greater amount of cigarette advertising visible from outside over-the-counter tobacco retailers is associated with greater cigarette sales to minors.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (200.0 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Biener L., Siegel M. Tobacco marketing and adolescent smoking: more support for a causal inference. Am J Public Health. 2000 Mar;90(3):407–411. doi: 10.2105/ajph.90.3.407. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cowling D. W., Robins D. M. Rate of illegal tobacco sales to minors varies by sign type in California. Am J Public Health. 2000 Nov;90(11):1792–1793. doi: 10.2105/ajph.90.11.1792. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- DiFranza J. R., Celebucki C. C., Mowery P. D. Measuring statewide merchant compliance with tobacco minimum age laws: the Massachusetts experience. Am J Public Health. 2001 Jul;91(7):1124–1125. doi: 10.2105/ajph.91.7.1124. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fischer P. M., Schwartz M. P., Richards J. W., Jr, Goldstein A. O., Rojas T. H. Brand logo recognition by children aged 3 to 6 years. Mickey Mouse and Old Joe the Camel. JAMA. 1991 Dec 11;266(22):3145–3148. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hamilton William L., Turner-Bowker D. M., Celebucki Carolyn C., Connolly G. N. Cigarette advertising in magazines: the tobacco industry response to the Master Settlement Agreement and to public pressure. Tob Control. 2002 Jun;11 (Suppl 2):ii54–ii58. doi: 10.1136/tc.11.suppl_2.ii54. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- King C., 3rd, Siegel M., Celebucki C., Connolly G. N. Adolescent exposure to cigarette advertising in magazines: an evaluation of brand-specific advertising in relation to youth readership. JAMA. 1998 Feb 18;279(7):516–520. doi: 10.1001/jama.279.7.516. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- King C., 3rd, Siegel M., Pucci L. G. Exposure of black youths to cigarette advertising in magazines. Tob Control. 2000 Mar;9(1):64–70. doi: 10.1136/tc.9.1.64. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pierce J. P., Choi W. S., Gilpin E. A., Farkas A. J., Berry C. C. Tobacco industry promotion of cigarettes and adolescent smoking. JAMA. 1998 Feb 18;279(7):511–515. doi: 10.1001/jama.279.7.511. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pierce J. P., Gilpin E. A., Choi W. S. Sharing the blame: smoking experimentation and future smoking-attributable mortality due to Joe Camel and Marlboro advertising and promotions. Tob Control. 1999 Spring;8(1):37–44. doi: 10.1136/tc.8.1.37. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Siegel M., Biener L. The impact of an antismoking media campaign on progression to established smoking: results of a longitudinal youth study. Am J Public Health. 2000 Mar;90(3):380–386. doi: 10.2105/ajph.90.3.380. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]