January 10, 2005

Michigan Department of Community Health Director Janet Olszewski and Michigan Surgeon General Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom today called for American cigarette manufacturers to halt the production of flavored cigarettes, saying the products are blatantly targeted toward children and non-smoking adults.

“Despite their continued insistence that they do not target cigarette marketing campaigns to youth and adult non-smokers, companies like R.J. Reynolds continue to create products that are specifically marketed to these groups,” Olszewski said. “Candy-flavored cigarettes clearly have their greatest appeal to new smokers, 90 percent of whom are teens or younger. Established smokers will not give up their current brands for these sales gimmicks – the practice is solely designed to hook young people to these products.”

In a letter written to the R.J. Reynolds Corporation on January 5, Olszewski and Wisdom demanded that all cigarette companies halt the manufacture of flavored cigarettes, citing the move as the latest ploy for the American tobacco industry to reach out to children.

“This new tobacco marketing strategy undermines our public health efforts to protect youth from a serious threat to their long-term health,” Wisdom said. “We now face a new and very real challenge.” Additionally, both called ads for cigarette flavors such as Winter Mocha Mint and Warm Winter Toffee, which tie the winter season to cigarette smoking “offensive.”

Tobacco companies have also taken to advertising these products in magazines and other publications specifically for younger audiences, such as Rolling Stone, Elle, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and Sports Illustrated – further evidence that these products are targeted toward first-time smokers, they said.

Tobacco marketing is highly effective at influencing children. Eighty-two percent of youth smokers (ages 12-17) prefer the three most heavily advertised brands - Philip Morris’ Marlboro, Lorillard’s Newport and RJR’s Camel - compared to less than half of smokers over 25.

Michigan has taken aggressive stances to halt the prevalence of smoking, including increasing the state’s cigarette tax by 75 cents in June. Studies indicate that Michigan’s tax on cigarettes – now the second highest in nation – prevents 94,000 youth from becoming smokers.

Recently during testimony in the government's $280 billion racketeering case against tobacco companies, federal prosecutors cited flavored cigarettes as clear evidence the tobacco industry is still marketing to youth.