Background: Retail tobacco advertising may not only cue smokers to buy cigarettes, but may also reduce a current smokers' resolve to quit, and encourage former smokers to resume their habit. However, to date, there has been no published research examining the impact that point-of-sale (POS) tobacco displays, a crucial marketing tool in the face of advertising bans, may have on potential quitters or those trying to quit smoking.

Method: A telephone-interview survey of 2996 adults was undertaken in the state of Victoria, Australia, where tobacco advertising is banned, but where cigarette POS displays are still prominent in retail environments.

Results: Of the 589 smokers surveyed, 30% agreed that banning POS displays would make it easier for them to quit, while 25% of smokers also reported at least ‘sometimes' buying cigarettes on impulse after seeing the POS displays.

Of ex-smokers quit in the last 12 months (n=67), 34% said there were occasions when seeing the POS display gave them an urge to buy cigarettes. Of current smokers who had tried to quit in the past 12 months (n=224), 38% said that during their quit attempt, seeing the POS display gave them an urge to buy cigarettes, and 61% of these respondents actually did buy cigarettes. We present data on characteristics of those most likely to impulse purchase.

Conclusions: These findings provide strong support for banning POS cigarette displays.

Implications: Elimination of these displays would help many smokers to quit smoking, and assist recent ex-smokers to remain quit.

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