284 



40 



The success of 1om yield dgsrettes due to their "healthier" image Mas 

 again discussed In the December 1983 New York State Journal of Medicine . 

 along with the idea that cigarette manufacturers are taking advantage of 

 this Image to sell more of their product: 



"The critical factor with respect to any 'less haxardous' product ls 

 consumer acceptance and, with respect to the low-tar brands, consumer 

 response has been extraordinary. Data froii the United States 

 Indicate that sales In the low-tar segnent (that is, trr less than or 

 equal to 15 ng) have trippled fro* 17 percent In 1976 to 59 percent 

 In 1982. A sinllar pattern has occurred In Canada. There are 

 several possible explanations fzr this explosive arowtii, but the 

 major contributor would seen to lis an Increased public awareness that 

 cigarette smoking, and In particular exposure to cigarette tar, is 

 detrimental ♦■o health. Cigarette companies have capitalized on this 

 perception by advertising tar levels as the basis for brand 

 selection." (emphasis adde<^) " 



A March 1984 editorial in Family Physician noted that young woaen in 

 particular were buying the notion that low yield cigarettes are safer: 



"The rise in cigarette smoking among young women may also have been 

 encouraged by the increasing availability of low-nicotine cigarettes. 

 Since the advent of the low-nicotine cigarette in 1968, teenagers In 

 this country have nearly doubled their smoking rate. The proportion 

 of teenage females who sanke has risen concurrently with the market 

 share of low-nicotine cigarettes.." The article attributes the 

 popularity of low-nicotine cigarettes among women to: a "better 

 health image". " 



On OctotMr 12, 1984. the president signed into law the Comprehensive 

 Saoking Education Aqt of 1984, requiring that the single health warning be 

 replaced with four rotating labels on cigarette packages and in cigarette 

 advertising. Four warnings were mandated for cigarette advertiseaents on 

 outdoor billboards which were slightly different versions of the same 

 messages. 



