Tiny Targets
From 2015 to 2021, public health professionals and volunteers, with support from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the Institute for Global Tobacco Control, systematically collected data on cigarette advertising and promotional tactics at the point-of-sale (POS) within a short walking distance of schools and playgrounds in 42 countries across the globe, spanning all six WHO regions.
This "Tiny Targets" project has resulted in multiple publications and presentations led by IGTC faculty member Jennifer Brown. We also produced a video focused on the initial paper publication in 2022.
The widespread violations of existing laws and regulations, the exploitation of regulatory loopholes and the lack of existing tobacco control policies that apply to points-of-sale call for adoption and enactment of provisions recommended by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control such as comprehensive bans on tobacco advertisement, promotion and sponsorship, bans on sale of single cigarette sticks and regulation of flavors. These strategies will help to protect children and youth from exposure to tobacco advertising.
Moving hearts and minds: How the big tobacco, tiny targets campaign builds support for tobacco control policy
Published in Tobacco Control, June 2023
Cigarette advertising aggressively targets kids in low- and middle-income countries, a new study finds
Published in The Conversation, August 2022
Big Tobacco, Tiny Targets: Campaign success in passing a TAPS ban in Georgia and keys to campaign success
Presentation at the 7th Conference European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention. Heraklion, Crete, Greece. July 6-8, 2022.
Spinning a global web: Tactics used by big tobacco to attract children at tobacco points-of-sale
Published in Tobacco Control, May 2022
Tactics used systematically by big tobacco that attract children and youth at tobacco points-of-sale.
Pre-recorded paper plus presentation at the Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco Annual Meeting. Baltimore, MD. March 15-18, 2022.