The illicit cigarette market in the DRC: datasets from a cross-sectional study of empty cigarette packs

This study aimed to estimate the proportion of cigarettes consumed in the DRC that are illicit and the extent of cigarette tax evasion; and to identify the origins of and factors associated with illicit cigarettes.

Stratified, multistage sampling was used to select 32 health areas across eight provinces in the DRC from which empty cigarette packs were collected. Each collected pack was examined and classified as licit if it complied, or illicit if it did not comply with the DRC’s tax stamp or written health warning requirements; or the requirements to have a notice indicating the prohibition of sale by/to minors or information on tar and nicotine content. Cigarette retail price information was also collected for each brand represented within the collected empty packs. Data was collected from May 15 to June 9, 2023. 

'Dataset_allpacks ORIGINAL' contains the data for each collected empty pack

'Explanation_dataset_allpacks' is the codebook that explains the variables in 'Dataset_allpacks ORIGINAL'

'Dataset_retailers' contains the data collected from retailers, including cigarette retail prices

'Explanation_dataset_retailers' is the codebook that explains the variables in 'Dataset_retailers'