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. 2021 Dec 9;18(24):13002.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph182413002.

Point of Sale Advertising and Promotion of Cigarettes, Electronic Cigarettes, and Heated Tobacco Products in Warsaw, Poland-A Pilot Study

Paweł Koczkodaj  1 , Paloma Cuchi  2 , Agata Ciuba  1   3 , Elwira Gliwska  1   4 , Armando Peruga  5   6   7
Affiliations

Point of Sale Advertising and Promotion of Cigarettes, Electronic Cigarettes, and Heated Tobacco Products in Warsaw, Poland-A Pilot Study

Paweł Koczkodaj et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Prevalence of smoking and e-cigarette use among teenagers in Poland is high. Polish law bans most advertising and promotion for cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products (HTPs). This study investigates marketing for these products at points of sale (POS) near secondary schools in Warsaw, Poland, noting if the advertising and promotion were allowed under current Polish laws. All POS within 250 m radii of five selected secondary schools in each of three Warsaw districts were assessed for tobacco and e-cigarette direct advertising, inside and outside; offers of gifts or promotional discounts; tobacco merchandising, and tobacco displays. Of the 112 POS surveyed, 83% exposed customers to some form of advertising or promotion of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or HTPs; in 76%, advertising or promotion that violated Polish law was present. More than 80% of POS surveyed displayed tobacco products; in 19%, these products were displayed near products of interest to minors. POS density observed here was 30.3 per km2, higher than in other European cities. In Poland, a high proportion of POS near schools violates the law banning the advertisement and promotion of tobacco and nicotine consumer products through a dense tobacco retailer network.

Keywords: Poland; advertisement; promotion; tobacco; youth.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. Paloma Cuchi is a staff member of the WHO. The author alone is responsible for the views expressed in this article, and they do not necessarily represent the decisions, policy, or views of the WHO.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map of the selected districts in Warsaw—Bielany, Śródmieście, and Mokotów.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Standardized observation questionnaire used during the POS observations.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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