Related Experiment Videos
Cigars, youth, and the Internet link.
1Institute for Health Policy Studies, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA. rmalone@itsa.ucsf.edu
American Journal of Public Health
|May 9, 2000
Summary
Online cigar marketing sites lack age restrictions, making tobacco easily accessible to minors. Few sites display health warnings, increasing youth appeal and purchase potential.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Digital Marketing
- Tobacco Control
Background:
- The internet has become a significant platform for product marketing.
- Concerns exist regarding the accessibility of tobacco products, including cigars, to minors online.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the accessibility and appeal of internet-based cigar marketing to underage individuals.
- To identify potential barriers or lack thereof for minors purchasing cigars online.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive examination of 141 websites marketing cigars.
- Analysis included age restriction policies, pricing strategies, presence of health warnings, and other relevant marketing elements.
Main Results:
- A significant majority of sites (64.5%) did not prohibit purchases by minors, despite legal restrictions.
- Many sites offered low prices and accepted various payment methods convenient for illicit purchases, such as cash-on-delivery (COD).
- Nearly 30% of sites incorporated features appealing to youth, while health warnings were notably absent on most (only 3.5% displayed them).
Conclusions:
- The current landscape of unregulated online cigar promotion poses a substantial risk of attracting young consumers.
- Insufficient age verification and marketing practices create minimal barriers for minors to purchase tobacco products online.