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Background: Our study evaluated the short-term impact of introducing European Union's tobacco pictorial health warnings (PHWs).Methods: Longitudinal data were collected at two time-points from adult smokers, participating in the International Tobacco Control (ITC) surveys, conducted in the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. In the Netherlands, textual health warnings (THWs) were replaced by PHWs between both time-points. Health warning policies did not change in the other countries. Data from continuing smokers were used (N = 3,487) and analyzed using Generalized Estimating Equations.Results: Between both time-points, only Dutch smokers showed increases in noticing health warnings (beta = 0.712, p Conclusions: Results suggest that introducing the European PHWs was effective in provoking changes closely related to health warnings, but there was no direct impact on variables more closely related to smoking cessation.

Background: Displaying tobacco products at point-of-sale (PoS) has become an important marketing strategy for the tobacco industry. This study was designed to (1) examine how support for a PoS cigarette display ban changed among Dutch smokers between 2010 and 2015 and (2) identify the variables that predict support among smokers for a PoS cigarette display ban. Methods: Longitudinal data from six annual survey waves (2010-2015) from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Netherlands Survey were analyzed. The sample consisted of between 1279 and 1800 smokers per year. Smokers were asked whether they supported a complete ban on displays of cigarettes inside shops and stores. Results: Support for a PoS cigarette display ban increased from 28.9% in 2010 to 42.5% in 2015 (OR = 1.40, p < 0.001). A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that support for a PoS display ban of cigarettes was more likely among smokers who had more knowledge about the health risks of smoking (OR = 3.97, p < 0.001), believed smoking-related health risks to be severe (OR = 1.39, p < 0.001), had a more positive attitude towards quitting smoking (OR = 1.44, p = 0. 006), reported stronger social norms to quit smoking (OR = 1.29, p = 0.035), had a higher self-efficacy for quitting smoking (OR = 1.31, p = 0.001), and had stronger intentions to quit smoking (OR = 1.23, p = 0.006). Conclusions: This paper showed that support for a PoS display ban of cigarettes increased among smokers in the Netherlands over the years. To further increase support, educational campaigns about the dangers of smoking, and campaigns that encourage quitting may be needed.