Tobacco Advertising Bans Effective to Curb Smoking: Study

A ban on smoking advertising and promotional material shows results in reducing smoking, according to new study.

A man holds a lit cigarette while smoking in San Francisco, on Dec. 2, 2020. The Canadian Press/AP-Jeff Chiu

A recent study has found the banning of tobacco advertising to be effective in reducing the prevalence of smoking, primarily through limiting exposure to potential new smokers.

The Griffith University study, published in the British Medical Journal’s Tobacco Control, pooled data from 71 countries, and examined the banning of tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (TAPS), and its impact on smoking rates and behaviours.