Impact of tobacco advertising and promotion on increasing adolescent smoking behaviours

Tobacco advertising and promotion appears to increase the likelihood that adolescents will start to smoke.

A Cochrane review (abstract , review ) included 19 longitudinal studies with a total of 29 000 baseline nonsmokers. The studies measured exposure or receptivity to advertising and promotion in a variety of ways. Longitudinal studies consistently suggest that exposure to tobacco advertising and promotion is associated with the likelihood that adolescents will start to smoke. The conclusion is supported by the strength of this association, the consistency of findings across numerous observational studies, temporality of exposure and smoking behaviours observed, as well as the theoretical plausibility regarding the impact of advertising.

Comment: The quality of evidence is upgraded by the strength of the association.

Ədəbiyyat

1. Lovato C, Watts A, Stead LF. Impact of tobacco advertising and promotion on increasing adolescent smoking behaviours. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2011;(10):CD003439 (Last assessed as up-to-date: 22 August 2011).