Abstract
BackgroundGuatemala, as a party to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), is required to regulate cigarette packaging and labeling and eliminate illicit tobacco trade. Current packaging and labeling characteristics (of legal and illegal cigarettes) and their compliance with the FCTC is unknown.MethodsWe sought to analyze package and label characteristics of illegal and legal cigarettes sold in Guatemala. We visited the 22 largest traditional markets in the country to purchase illegal cigarettes. All brands registered on tobacco industry websites were purchased as legal cigarettes. Analysis compared labeling characteristics of illegal and legal packs.FindingsMost (95%) markets and street vendors sold illegal cigarettes; 104 packs were purchased (79 illegal and 25 legal). Ten percent of illegal and none of the legal packs had misleading terms. Half of the illegal packs had a warning label covering 26 to 50% of the pack surface. All legal packs had a label covering 25% of the surface. Illegal packs were more likely to have information on constituents and emissions (85% vs. 45%, p < 0.001) and were less expensive than legal ones (USD 0.70 ± 0.7 and 1.9 ± 1.8, p < 0.001).ConclusionsIn Guatemala, neither illegal nor legal cigarette packs comply with FCTC labeling mandates. Urgent implementation and enforcement of the FCTC is necessary to halt the tobacco epidemic.
Highlights
MethodsWe sought to analyze package and label characteristics of illegal and legal cigarettes sold in Guatemala
Guatemala, as a party to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), is required to regulate cigarette packaging and labeling and eliminate illicit tobacco trade
In Guatemala, neither illegal nor legal cigarette packs comply with FCTC labeling mandates
Summary
We sought to analyze package and label characteristics of illegal and legal cigarettes sold in Guatemala. We visited the 22 largest traditional markets in the country to purchase illegal cigarettes. All brands registered on tobacco industry websites were purchased as legal cigarettes. Legal packs Only two companies are registered to manufacture, import and sell cigarettes in Guatemala: Tabacalera Centro Americana, S.A. Legal brands sold by TACASA and TANASA were gathered from the companies’ websites. Given the possibility that legal brands registered in Guatemala can be smuggled from other countries (e.g., a Marlboro pack smuggled from Honduras), we confirmed the origin of legal packs by looking for the name of TACASA or TANASA in the pack. Illegal packs From May to June of 2012, two trained research assistants purchased cigarettes in 22 traditional markets in the country. An inventory of each brand purchased was kept to avoid duplicates
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