Density of cigarette retailers near schools and sales to minors in Banyuwangi, Indonesia: A GIS mapping

INTRODUCTION: There are weak regulations and controls on tobacco sales to adolescents in Indonesia, and these may have contributed to the increase in smoking prevalence among adolescents in the country. Our study aims to calculate the density of cigarette retailers near schools and ascertain the factors associated with sales to minors. METHODS: We conducted geographical mapping by recording the GPS position of cigarette retailers in 15 locations in Banyuwangi District, Indonesia, to assess the density and proximity of cigarette retailers to schools. We interviewed randomly selected retailers, from the geographical mapping, for information on sales to minors, the cheapest price cigarettes are sold and the most popular cigarette brand purchased by adolescents, as well as owners/keepers knowledge of the regulation regarding sales to minors. RESULTS: We identified 770 retailers of consumer goods in the study location; 28.1% (216) sold cigarettes, with mean density of 1.1 cigarette retailers per 100 m. Of the cigarette retailers, 6.9% were located <25 m from schools and all schools had at least one retailer within a 250 m radius. Owners/keepers of 107 cigarette retailers agreed to be interviewed for information on sales to minors. Brands from Gudang Garam were the most popular among adolescents and the brand from Bentoel, part of British American Tobacco, was the cheapest. The median of the cheapest price sold was US$0.7 per pack. Only 43.6% of retailers ever refused to sell cigarettes to adolescents. Within a school complex, retailers’ refusal to sell cigarettes to adolescents was higher than in other locations. CONCLUSIONS: Schools in Banyuwangi are surrounded by cigarette retailers. Half of the retailers sell cigarettes at a price affordable by adolescents, attracting adolescents to initiate smoking. There needs to be strict regulation to control cigarette sales to minors, through zoning and licensing in Indonesia.