"It is important to know as much as possible about teenage smoking patterns and attitudes. Today's teenager is tomorrow's potential regular customer . . .” 1981 Philip Morris market research report on young smokers. . : . Each day, about 4,000 kids try their first cigarette; and each day another 1,000 other kids under 18 years of age become new regular, daily smokers. That’s 416,000 new underage daily smokers each year. . : . 90 percent of all adult smokers begin while in their teens, or earlier, and nearly two-thirds become regular, daily smokers before they reach the age of 19. . : . The cigarette companies spend more than $15.1 billion each year to promote their deadly products – that's more than $41 million spent every day to market cigarettes, and much of that marketing directly reaches and influences kids. . : . More than 6.3 million children under age 18 alive today will eventually die from smoking-related disease, unless current rates are reversed. Source: CDC, State Highlights 2006. . : . 440,000 people die from tobacco-related illnesses every year, making it the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

"Marlboro’s phenomenal growth rate has been attributable in large part to our high market penetration among young smokers...15 to 19 years old...my own data, which includes younger teenagers, shows even higher Marlboro market penetration among 15-17-year-olds.”

Philip Morris report, 1975

”KOOL’s stake in the 16-25-year old population segment is such that the value of this audience should be accurately weighed and reflected in current media programs. As a result, all magazines will be reviewed to see how efficiently they reach this group.”

Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company marketing memo, 1973

 

 

People Magazine1Numerous studies have demonstrated the relationship between exposure to print tobacco advertising and youth smoking initiation.

 

Despite known health effects of smoking and tobacco use, tobacco company advertising in magazines continues to glamorize and normalize tobacco use and ignore the health consequences of tobacco use.

 

The Master Settle Agreement  (MSA) of 1998 expressly prohibits tobacco companies from taking “any action, directly or indirectly, to target youth, within any settling state in the advertising, promotion or marketing of tobacco products, or take any action the primary purpose of which is to initiate, maintain or increase the incidence of youth smoking.”


It did not however, set clear limits on advertising in magazines that could reach young people.


The tobacco industry spent over $170,000 million in 2001 to advertise cigarettes in magazines and over $31 million to advertise cigarettes in newspapers.













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