Smoking initiation mainly occurs during youth. Developing anti-tobacco attitudes is a key way to prevent smoking initiation.

Social marketing and communication interventions that use paid advertising are effective in developing anti-tobacco attitudes (Center for Prevention Research and Development, 2005). This paper describes a New Zealand intervention that uses anti-smoking adverts in cinemas to increase anti-tobacco attitudes among 12 to 14-year-olds. Those most at risk - young Mâori and Pacific people and those from low socio-economic backgrounds - are targeted.

Method:

Young people are recruited and assigned to intervention and control groups. Both groups complete a questionnaire before and after the movie. Follow-up, paired depth interviews also explore views about, and responses to, the advertisements. To comply with research standards, parental consent is obtained as part of recruitment. Correlations between parents' and children's attitudes towards smoking are compared.

Results:

The research will be completed by April 2007. The paper will present the results, describing responses to the messages, short-term impacts on attitudes to smoking, and any immediate behaviours promoted by the advertisement. Effectiveness of messages and their execution also will be described, along with the methodological challenges of surveying young people.

Conclusions:

Implications:

The implications for future interventions aimed at reducing smoking initiation by youth in New Zealand and elsewhere will be discussed.

Reference:

Center for Prevention Research and Development. (2005). Communication of Social Norms Campaigns Research Summary (Substance Abuse Prevention Focused). Champaign, IL: Center for Prevention Research and Development, Instiute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois.