Cigarro eletrônico

Nos últimos anos, os cigarros eletrônicos, popularmente conhecidos como “vapes”, conquistaram uma fatia significativa do mercado, especialmente entre jovens e adultos em busca de alternativas ao cigarro tradicional. Contudo, enquanto as campanhas publicitárias ressaltam a imagem moderna e “menos prejudicial” desses dispositivos, especialistas em saúde alertam para os riscos reais e, muitas vezes, ocultos associados ao seu uso.

No dia 24 de abril de 2024, entrou em vigor a decisão da Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (Anvisa) de manter o veto aos cigarros eletrônicos no país. A agência reguladora renovou, mais uma vez, uma decisão tomada há 16 anos: proibir a comercialização e fabricação de produtos de risco reduzido no consumo de nicotina, como cigarros eletrônicos, tabaco aquecido e sachês de nicotina.

Objective: Post-secondary institutions provide a unique opportunity to implement and evaluate leading edge tobacco policies, while influencing a key group of young adults. To date, however, we know little about the tobacco control environment at post-secondary institutions outside the USA. Design: Telephone surveys were conducted with campus informants from 35 post-secondary institutions in Canada to evaluate tobacco control policies and the presence of tobacco marketing on campus. Main outcome measures: Tobacco marketing on campus, tobacco control policies, and attitudes towards tobacco control. Results: The findings indicate that tobacco marketing is prevalent among post-secondary institutions in Canada. Every university and half of all colleges surveyed had participated in some form of tobacco marketing in the past year. Among universities, 80% had run a tobacco advertisement in their paper and 18% had hosted a tobacco sponsored nightclub event. Tobacco control policies varied considerably between institutions. Although several campuses had introduced leading edge policies, such as campus wide outdoor smoking restrictions and tobacco sales bans, there is a general lack of awareness of tobacco issues among campus decision makers and fundamental public health measures, such as indoor smokefree policies, have yet to be introduced in many cases. Conclusions: Post-secondary institutions in Canada remain tobacco friendly environments. Without increased direction and support from the public health community, post-secondary institutions will continue to lag behind, rather than lead current policy standards.

Background/aim: Argentina has one of the highest cigarette smoking rates among both men and women in the Americas and no legislated restrictions on tobacco industry advertising. The tobacco industry has traditionally expanded markets by targeting adolescents and young adults. The objective of this study was to determine whether and how the tobacco industry promotes cigarettes to adolescents in Argentina. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of tobacco industry documents available through the internet dated between 1995 and 2004 using standard search terms to identify marketing strategies in Argentina. A selected review of the four leading newspapers and nine magazines with reported high readership among adolescents was completed. The selected print media were searched for tobacco images and these were classified as advertisements if associated with a commercial product or as a story if not. Results: The tobacco industry used market segmentation as a strategy to target Argentinean consumers. British American Tobacco (BAT) undertook a young adult psychographic study and classified them as ‘‘progressives’’, ‘‘Jurassics’’ or ‘‘conservatives’’ and ‘‘crudos’’ or ‘‘spoiled brats’’. BAT marketed Lucky Strike to the ‘‘progressives’’ using Hollywood movies as a vehicle. The tobacco industry also targeted their national brands to the conservatives and linked these brands with ‘‘nationalistic values’’ in advertising campaigns. Philip Morris promoted Marlboro by sponsoring activities directed at young people and they launched the 10 cigarettes packet as a starter vehicle. Conclusions: The tobacco industry used psychographic segmentation of the population and developed advertising strategies focused on youth. Tobacco control researchers and advocates must be able to address these strategies in counter-marketing interventions.