Removing tobacco displays makes smoking less tempting

LONDON - Putting away tobacco displays makes puffing less tempting to young people, a study says.

Conducted by the University of Nottingham Centre for Tobacco Control Studies in Britain, the researchers found that the number of teenagers who recalled tobacco displays dropped from 81 percent to only 22 percent after the displays were removed, reports the journal Tobacco Control.

Similarly, fewer young people believed smoking is widespread among their peers. Before the displays were removed, 62 percent thought that more than one in five people of their age group smoked, which fell to 46 percent afterwards.

After displays were covered up, 38 percent of teenagers thought the measure would make it easier for children not to smoke and 14 percent of adults thought the law made it easier to quit smoking.

The research also showed support for putting tobacco out of sight rose from 58 percent to 66 percent after the measure came into force.

Prof. Ann McNeill, who led the study, said: “Our research shows that removing point of sale displays of tobacco has a measurable impact on how young people think about tobacco, and helps underline that they are not normal consumer products.”