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2000 Surgeon General's Report—Reducing Tobacco Use
Tobacco Advertising and Promotion
Disclaimer
Highlights
- Despite the overwhelming evidence of the adverse health effects
from tobacco use, efforts to prevent the onset or continuance of tobacco
use face the pervasive challenge of promotion activity by the tobacco
industry.
- Regulating advertising and promotion, particularly that directed
at young people, is very likely to reduce both the prevalence and initiation
of smoking.
- The tobacco industry uses a variety of marketing tools and strategies
to influence consumer preference, thereby increasing market share and
attracting new consumers.
- Among all U.S. manufacturers, the tobacco industry is one of the
most intense in marketing its products. Only the automobile industry
markets its products more heavily.
Youth and Tobacco Advertising and Promotion
- Children and teenagers constitute the majority of all new smokers,
and the industry’s advertising and promotion campaigns often have special
appeal to these young people.
- One tobacco company, the Liggett Group, Inc., has admitted that
the entire tobacco industry conspired to market cigarettes to children.
- Tobacco documents recently obtained in litigation indicate that
tobacco companies have purposefully marketed to children as young as
14 years of age.
- The effect of tobacco advertising on young people is best epitomized
by R.J. Reynolds Company’s introduction of the Joe Camel campaign. From
the introduction of the "Old Joe" cartoon character in 1988, Camel’s
share of the adolescent cigarette market increased dramatically—from
less than 1% before 1988, to 8% in 1989, to more than 13% in 1993.
- In 1997 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a complaint against
R.J. Reynolds alleging that "the purpose of the Joe Camel campaign was
to reposition the Camel brand to make it attractive to young smokers…"
The FTC ultimately dismissed its complaint after the November 23, 1998,
Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), which calls for the ban of all cartoon
characters, including Joe Camel, in the advertising, promotion, packaging,
and labeling of any tobacco product.
Ethnic Groups and Tobacco Advertising and Promotion
- Many public health and smoking prevention groups are concerned about
the tobacco industry’s practice of targeting cultural and ethnic minorities
through product development, packaging, pricing, advertising, and promotional
activities.
Disclaimer: Data and findings provided on this page reflect the content of
this particular Surgeon General's Report. More recent information may exist
elsewhere on the Smoking & Tobacco Use Web site (for example, in fact sheets,
frequently asked questions, or other materials that are reviewed on a regular
basis and updated accordingly).
Page last updated August 9, 2000