Law compliance, why do we need it? Comparative data from the Brazilian National Survey of School Health (PeNSE) on adolescents' access to cigarettes

Bibliographic Data

ID5168766
AuthorsAndré Salém Szklo (0000-0003-1903-6188, Instituto Nacional de Câncer José Alencar Gomes da Silva, Brazil), Neilane Bertoni Dos Reis (0000-0002-2539-9965, Instituto Nacional de Câncer José Alencar Gomes da Silva, Brazil)
Year2023
Volume39
Issue2
Publication date2023-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCadernos de Saude Publica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0102-311X • E-ISSN: 1678-4464
PublisherFapUNIFESP (SciELO) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1590/0102-311xen145722
OpenAlexW4321380483
SCIELO_PIDS0102-311X2023000206002
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited5

In recent decades, Brazil has made significant progress in fighting the tobacco epidemic. However, recent national data suggest a probable stagnation in the reduction of smoking initiation among youth and adolescents. The objective of this study was to evaluate the evolution over time of compliance with the law that prohibits the sale of cigarettes to minors in Brazil. To this end, data from the Brazilian National Survey of School Health conducted in 2015 and 2019 were used. Percentages were estimated for "sequential" indicators created by combining answers to the questions "Did anyone refuse to sell you cigarettes?" and "How did you obtain your cigarettes?" There was a decrease between 2015 and 2019 in the percentage of smokers aged 13 to 17 who tried to buy cigarettes in the 30 days prior to the survey (72.3% vs. 66.4%; p-value ≤ 0.05). However, regardless of the survey year, approximately 9 out of 10 adolescent smokers were successful in an attempt to buy cigarettes. Of those, approximately 7 out of 10 used direct purchase as the main method of obtaining cigarettes, with purchases at licensed commercial establishments (vs. street vendors) increasing between 2015 and 2019 (81.1% vs. 89.6%; p-value ≤ 0.05). In 2019, 70% of teenagers who bought cigarettes at licensed commercial establishments purchased single cigarettes. Non-compliance with laws aimed at preventing smoking initiation is a huge obstacle to reducing the proportion of smokers. Increased implementation of legislative measures and oversight of cigarettes sales, combined with educational and awareness actions with retailers, is key to protecting new generations from the harmful effects of tobacco use

Business · Compliance (psychology) · Environmental health · Legislature · Political science · Population · Smoking prevalence · Law · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology · Smoking Behavior and Cessation · Social Psychology

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