TitlePoint-of-sale tobacco advertising in Beirut, Lebanon following a national advertising ban.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2013
AuthorsSalloum, RG, Nakkash, RT, Myers, AE, Wood, KA, Ribisl, KM
JournalBMC Public Health
Volume13
Pagination534
Date Published06/2013
ISSN1471-2458
KeywordsFinancial Audit, Humans, Lebanon, Marketing, Public Policy, Smoking Cessation, Smoking Prevention, Tobacco Industry, Tobacco Products
Abstract

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to conduct an audit of point-of-sale (POS) tobacco advertising and assess compliance with an advertising ban in a large district of Beirut, Lebanon.

METHODS: The audit was conducted 3 months following the ban on tobacco advertising. Trained students observed all tobacco retail outlets (n = 100) and entered data into a web-based form using iPad(®) technology. Presence of tobacco advertisements was assessed to determine compliance with the national advertising ban.

RESULTS: Among the 100 tobacco retail outlets, 62% had tobacco advertisements, including 7% with a tobacco brand logo as part of the main exterior store sign.

CONCLUSIONS: POS tobacco advertising is widespread in Beirut despite the national advertising ban. These findings point to an urgent need for the enforcement of the advertisement ban with tobacco retail outlets in Lebanon.
DOI10.1186/1471-2458-13-534
Alternate JournalBMC Public Health
PubMed ID23731766
PubMed Central IDPMC3673907
Grant ListU01 CA154281 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
1U01 CA154281 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
R25 CA116339 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States