The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: Nosmoking.Ru - Russian Anti-Tobacco Internet Project attempted to evaluate the level of penetration, dynamic and instruments of tobacco propaganda in the fast growing sector of Russian speaking Internet (RUNET). The tobacco promotion and advertising campaigns in RUNET are not only growing in quantity, but also use the "white spots" in legislation to influence the internet audience.

Methods: The effort focused on analysis of Russian internet sites, which promote different brands of cigarettes or other tobacco consumption (cigars, pipes, kalians etc.); attracting attention of the officials to the lack of regulations in the field of tobacco promotion in the internet; collecting information from the general public regarding their attitude towards tobacco promotion in RUNET; and, encouraging the policy makers to develop and put in life strong measures against tobacco propaganda in the internet.

Results: Nosmoking.Ru - Russian Anti-Tobacco Internet Project found out that the quantity of pro-tobacco sites in RUNET has grown approximately by 27% compared to 2004. 85% of the top rated pages ignore or violate the advertising norms, adopted for other ways of advertising. The most spread tricks are: no restriction for young audience, no information about health hazards (no health warnings) or "scroll-hidden" warnings. Monitoring of the internet helped to arise the legal case and stop several pro-tobacco campaigns in RUNET. 84% of the NOSMOKING.RU audience support complete ban on tobacco advertising in RUNET. Additional work is needed to put official restriction or better completely ban the advertising or promo tobacco campaigns in the internet.