Plain tobacco packaging, increased graphic health warnings and adolescents’ perceptions and initiation of smoking: DePICT, a French nationwide study
Menée en France à partir de deux vagues d'enquêtes réalisées en 2016 et 2017 auprès de 2 046 et 1 999 adolescents âgés de 12 à 17 ans, cette étude analyse l'évolution des perceptions vis-à-vis du tabagisme et des comportements tabagiques après l'introduction d'une loi imposant l'augmentation de la taille des avertissements sanitaires graphiques sur les paquets neutres
Background : Plain packaging (PP) of tobacco products and increased graphic warnings may contribute to lower attractiveness of smoking, particularly among youths. In France, this policy was introduced on 1 January 2017. We examined changes in smoking-related perceptions and behaviours among a nationwide sample of French adolescents before (2016) and 1 year post (2017) implementation. Methods : DePICT is a two-wave cross-sectional national telephone survey of adolescents aged 12–17 years per study wave (2016: n=2046 2017: n=1999). All participants reported smoking-related perceptions, as well as ever and current tobacco use. Smokers were also asked about their perceptions of tobacco brands. Data were weighted to be representative of youths in the French population: adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs, 95% CI) estimating changes between the two study waves were calculated using multivariate log-binomial regression models. Results : In 2017, as compared with 2016, French adolescents were more likely to report fear of the consequences of smoking (PR=1.06, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.09) and that smoking is dangerous (PR=1.08, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.11). They were also less likely to report that their friends (PR=0.61, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.70) and family (PR=0.51, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.60) accept smoking. Additionally, smoking initiation significantly decreased (PR=0.96, 95% CI 0.93 to 0.98) and a non-statistically significant drop in current tobacco use was observed (PR=0.93, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.11). Smokers’ attachment to their tobacco brand also decreased (PR=0.47, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.73). Conclusion : Our findings suggest that PP and increased graphic warnings could contribute to changes in smoking norms and rates among adolescents.
Tobacco Control 2018