Enforcing tobacco advertising, promotion & sponsorship bans

Each year, the tobacco industry spends tens of billions of dollars to market its products. Using increasing sophisticated and covert forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS), the tobacco industry links its products with success, fun and glamour. The results are devastating for public health, with new users ultimately lured into a lifetime of addiction. In countries around the world, the many forms of TAPS create an illusion that tobacco is just an ordinary consumer product, rather than a deadly product that kills up to half of its users.

TAPS increase smoking initiation among youth, and even brief exposure to can influence adolescents. The more aware and appreciative young people are of tobacco advertising, the more likely they are to smoke or say they intend to.

A total ban on direct and indirect advertising, promotion and sponsorship, as provided in guidelines to Article 13 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, can substantially reduce tobacco consumption and protect people from industry marketing tactics. To be effective, bans must be complete and apply to all marketing categories. Otherwise, the industry redirects resources to nonregulated marketing channels. The tobacco industry strongly opposes comprehensive bans because they effectively reduce tobacco use.