Gender dimensions of youth vulnerability toward access to cigarettes in South-East Asia: Evidence from global youth tobacco survey

BACKGROUND: Youths are lured to smoking to make them tobacco customers. Limiting access to tobacco products by youths is a proven strategy to reduce youth tobacco use. This study aimed to examine the burden of cigarette smoking and access to tobacco by youth in South-East Asia (SEA). METHODS: The burden along with the physical (methods of obtaining cigarettes), financial (cigarette affordability by pocket money), and illegal (sale to minors) access to cigarettes among school-going boys and girls were examined by analyzing the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) data (2013–2016) from seven SEA member countries. Descriptive statistics using country-specific GYTS sample weight was used to estimate parameters with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The proportion of youths reporting cigarette smoking was highest in East Timor [boys: 55.57 % (51.93–59.21) and girls: 11.35% (9.12–13.59)] and lowest in Sri Lanka [boys: 2.96% (2.91–3.0) and girls: 0%]. Smoking prevalence was higher among boys than girls. Smoking among boys and girls was positively correlated (r = 0.849, p = 0.032). The most common method of obtaining cigarettes was “buying it from a store/kiosk/street hawker” and “other sources.” Except in Indonesia, financial access was limited for most youths. Financial access had a positive but negligible influence on cigarette smoking. Despite legal restrictions on sales to minors, students could obtain cigarettes from vendors. CONCLUSION: Contextual cigarette smoking and access to cigarettes by youths despite the legal ban and unaffordability is a concern. Country-specific socio-cultural-economic and legal dimensions need to be examined to limit cigarette use among youths.