Advertising Or Peer Pressure: Which Influences Teen Smoking?

Posting Date: 04/14/1999

I?m an avid anti-smoking advocate, but I think the tobacco industry is being unfairly accused of causing an increase in smoking among teens through advertising.

A recent study shows the heaviest advertised cigarette brands ? Marboro, Camel and Newport ? are most popular among teens who smoke. Another study says children are two and a half times as likely as adults to have seen advertising for tobacco in the past two weeks.

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I?ll admit that the "Joe Camel" advertising campaign a couple years ago resulted in a big increase in underage kids using the brand. That promotion was pulled, however, because of public indignation and pressure.

What I question is how we can be sure advertising is what is causing young people to select these popular brands. In the case of teens, I think trends develop among peer groups. The kids copy each other.

Tobacco companies spend 100 times more on advertising their products than activist organizations spend on anti-smoking campaigns. It?s crucial that the tobacco industry as a whole be aware of what messages are being sent to young people.