Cross-sectional, longitudinal, and
experimental studies have found a link between
youth exposure to
cigarette marketing and
youth initiation of
smoking. These decisive
research findings led to
regulations of
cigarette marketing to
youthincluding no
television or
radio ads, prohibitions on the use of cartoons, bans on transit and billboard advertisements, and disallowing
tobacco brand sponsorships of sporting events or concerts.
Similar products that may cause more harm than benefits include alcohol,
electronic cigarettes, and
opioids. We
review the evidence linking problematic use of these products with exposure to
marketing and discuss
standards for assessing the potential harmfulness of
marketing. We next
address how
public health agencies might apply regulatory principles to these harmful products
similar to those applied to
cigarette advertising, in the advancement of
public health.