Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS) Assessment Study in Lagos State Nigeria

Introduction • This study investigates Tobacco Industry (TI) violation of Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS) as contained in the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 • It also attempts to uncover strategies used by TI in TAPS in Lagos State Nigeria. Methods The assessment used structured questionnaires and check-lists to generate data. Also, Focus Group Discussions were adopted to ascertain the validity of the data. Results 1. Data collectors went to a total of 246 retailers • 65% of the retailers that were visited sells tobacco products • 35% of the retailers that were visited did not sell tobacco product 2 Different forms of advertising were observed; • 47.1%- Tobacco Product Displays • 32.3%- Tobacco brand markings on Physical Structures • 16.7%- Posters/signs • 2.7%- Stickers 3 “Open space traders” This study found that the TI gives people free branded umbrellas to serve as roof over any available “open space” where goods are sold. Branded tobacco umbrellas were found primarily at the 2nd most observed store type. The pervasiveness of this form is an inadvertent form of advertising which assists the TI in promoting tobacco products without selling them. By having branded umbrellas around the cities, this form of advertisement promotes brand recognition and normalizes smoking Conclusions TI has grown beyond the old forms of advertising to adopting new strategies to get their products sold. They target children and young adults through the use new and social media and also engage in corporate social responsibility projects aimed at influencing policy makers and government decisions. Efforts to combat this ugly trend must be sustained. Funding CTFK provided the funding for TAPS assessment study held in Lagos State Nigeri