Background Packagingand labelling of tobacco products are the first contact between the tobaccoindustry and the smoker. It´s design works as an image for the brand, toattract potential clients. Otherstudies make in Panama, focused this investigation, on advertising, promotionand sponsorship of tobacco products, to uncover the perception about marketingcharacteristics used by the tobacco industry in the packaging of its products.The results were useful to implement plain packed and increase the amount ofthe warnings up to 80 to 85% in Panama.Methods The sample size was of 890 subjectsselected to convenience, was applied an electronic observational guide, withquestions about design, location, content, dimensions, shape, use of misleadingterminology, and sanitary warnings on the boxes. We included cigarette boxes ofdifferent sizes with warnings and a standardized cigarette box on a software tovalidate and collect the data.Results Mostreported characteristics: Brilliantcolors: 50; appealing logo: 22.5%; sanitarymessages in text:11.7%, soft/light product:6.4% Times thatthe sanitary warning was noticed: frequent to very frequent:62.4% Times thatthe image with the sanitary messages regarding negative effects on health wasnoticed: frequent to very frequent:71.9% Times theyread or paid attention to the sanitary messages: frequent to very frequent: 50%;9.0% of smokers had never read them. Times themessages on tobacco products that make them consider the damage smoking causes: frequentto very frequent:79.3% Colors onthe cigarette box: White, gold and silver: Soft/ultrasoft; Colorblue: Fresh 23.3%; Color green: menthol 51.9%; Colorblack and strong red: 80% Simplepackaging: Not attractive. They are indifferent to it and reported theywould not buy it:68.1%Conclusions The population supportsincreasing the size of warnings and plain packaging.
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