Is the public ready for policy change at the POS? Attitudes toward advertising at the POS and policies to regulate it

Background: The 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA) gives effective authority over tobacco products to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FSPTCA expands state authority over tobacco products marketing practices. This oversight allows for state to potentially restrict advertising at the point of sale. Objective/Purpose: Little is known about public attitudes toward point of sale regulation. This presentation describes how adults in the U.S. and New York State feel about tobacco advertising and possible regulation of tobacco advertising in retail establishments including convenience stores, grocery stores, and pharmacies.

Methods: Data were collected from representative samples of adults from New York State (n = 1178) and the U.S. (n = 1096) in July through September, 2009. Data were weighted to the appropriate population of interest.

Results: The majority of adults in both samples viewed tobacco advertising in pharmacies as unacceptable (68% NY, 70% US), followed by grocery stores (53%, 44%), and convenience stores (42%, 32%). Almost half of all respondents in New York were in favor of a ban on tobacco advertising, while fewer adults in the U.S. agreed with a ban. Pharmacies received the highest endorsement as a potential venue for stricter regulation.

Conclusion: These results suggest that increasing awareness of the benefits of regulation of tobacco advertising at the point of sale is warranted. A focus on media advocacy on this issue may increase positive attitudes toward regulation.