ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND ADVERTISEMENTS OF CIGARETTES BY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ANAPOLIS, GO

• Main Authors: Bruna Cristina da Silva, Murilo Martins Silva, Renata Fernanda de Barros, Adriano de Almeida de Lima, Cristine Miron Stefani
• Format: Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Universidade de Brasília 2014-02-01
• Series: Revista Gestão & Saúde
• Subjects: Smoking - Legislation & Jurisprudence; National Tobacco Control Program; Adolescent Health
• Online Access: http://gestaoesaude.unb.br/index.php/gestaoesaude/article/view/673/pdf_1
• ISSN: 1982-4785; 1982-4785

Brazil has a National Program of Tobacco Control and specific legislation to prevent the onset of the habit considered among the world's most advanced, yet the prevalence of experimentation and smoking among adolescents is relatively high. Objective: This study aimed to verify the student access to information and advertising of cigarettes in the city of Anapolis, GO. Methodology: Data were collected through the questionnaire adopted from VIGESCOLA (Brazil, 2004). The participants were 1565 adolescents between 13 and 19 years old, 1103 enrolled in public schools and 462 in private schools. Results: The adolescent participants reported still seeing advertisements for cigarettes in the media and events, and few anti-smoking messages. Some had products with brands of cigarettes and were approached by representatives of tobacco industry with an offer of free samples. In addition, most received information about smoking by family members, while the school did not contribute to the discussion, as would be desirable. Conclusion: more rigorous oversight of the tobacco industry in compliance with laws on the advertising and merchandizing is required, as well as greater emphasis on addressing the smoking issue in schools.