Influence of Tobacco Advertising on Youths Attitude to Cigarette Smoking in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the influence of tobacco advertising on youths’ attitude to smoking in Oyo State. The objectives of the study are to identify the sources of awareness of the different brands cigarette advertisements in Oyo State and extent to which these advertisements influence youths attitude to cigarette smoking. The survey design was adopted for the study and data were gathered through the questionnaire. Three-hundred and eighty-four copies of the questionnaire were administered on 384 respondents who were selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Samples were drawn from youths: smokers and non-cigarette smokers in Oyo State. The study found that cigarette advertisements induced positive attitude to cigarette smoking among youths in Oyo State. The study further found that young people are exposed to different brands of cigarette advertisements mostly through radio and movies. The study concludes cigarettes advertisement influence youths attitude to cigarettes smoking. The study recommends that warnings accompanying cigarette advertisements must be emphatic.