Point-of-sale tobacco advertising in Beirut, Lebanon following a national advertising ban

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Ramzi G. Salloum, University of North Carolina; Rima T. Nakkash, American University of Beirut; Allison E. Myers, University of North Carolina; Kathryn Wood, Emory University; Kurt M. Ribisl, University of North Carolina
• Language: English
• Date: 2013-06-03
• Publisher: BioMed Central
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2013 Salloum et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-534
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: BMC Public Health
• ISSN: 1471-2458
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 534
• End Page: 534
• Grant/Funding Information: Dr. Salloum was supported by the Cancer Care Quality Training Program from the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health under [grant R25 CA116339].; Dr. Ribisl was supported by grant number 1U01 CA154281 from the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health.
• Keywords: PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH, SCI; MARKETING RESTRICTIONS; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; PROMOTION; Science & Technology
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Epidemiology; Health Sciences, Public Health

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.