Exposure to Tobacco Promotional Activities in South Western Nigeria-A Survey and Policy Implications

Background Restrictions on direct tobacco advertisements resulted in the use of subtle promotional methods by tobacco industries. Few studies have evaluated the pattern of exposure to promotional activities in Nigeria despite recent calls for increased tobacco control. This study aimed to examine exposure to tobacco related information and promotional activities in a sample of Nigerian undergraduates with a view to highlighting policy implications. Method This is a cross sectional survey of a sample of Nigerian undergraduates. A subset of key questions from the global adult tobacco survey instrument was administered to obtain relevant information on exposure to tobacco smoking and smoking status. Questions adapted from the Smoking Knowledge Attitude and practice instrument (S-KAP) were used to assess level of respondents knowledge. Results Almost all the participants (99 %) had been exposed to tobacco promotional efforts in the past 30 days. These included use of clothing or other items with a cigarette brand or logo (30.4 %), movies (27.6 %), musical videos (23.9 %), stores advertising cigarette use (22.8 %), free gifts or discounts on buying cigarettes (15.6 %) and free cigarette samples (9.2 %). Male students were more likely to have been exposed to tobacco related information on musical videos (P =0.032) and clothing items or brand merchandise (P = 0.003). Conclusion Despite the Framework Convention on Tobacco Controls (FCTC) recommendations, the media and branded items remain significant tools for tobacco promotional activities in this sample of Nigerian undergraduates with potential implications. This suggests that there may be a need for a review of existing policies and legal framework for tobacco related activities.