Tobacco Industry News

Reports

Group says Camel packs lure the young
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (TFK) has released a statement urging R.J. Reynolds to withdraw a campaign that the group says targets children. The new campaign features special edition packages of Camel cigarettes that depict ten places in the U.S. including Las Vegas, Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood, New Orleans, and Austin, TX. Individuals can register to win prizes by guessing where Camel is visiting during a particular week. TFK argues that the use of these trendy U.S. destinations in the campaign is an attempt to appeal to children, who will associate the cigarettes with being cool, fun, and rebellious. In addition to requesting that R.J. Reynolds stop using the promotion, TFK also suggests that state Attorneys General investigate whether the promotion violates the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement's ban on tobacco marketing to children. While R.J. Reynolds has not responded to complaints about this particular campaign, its website states that the company follows marketing rules and does not try to suggest that smoking carries social value. Click here to read more. View images from the campaign here, or read a statement from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Charter airline gives out free Blu Cigs electronic cigarettes
Electronic cigarette manufacturer Blu Cigs has partnered with Global Exec Aviation, a private charter jet company, to provide free samples of its products on flights. The company hopes to get feedback from customers about the products and their use during flights, with the hope of potentially expanding their use to commercial airlines. Smoking was prohibited on all commercial flights to and from the U.S. in 2000, but the restriction does not apply to charter flights. The U.S. Department of Transportation has not taken a stance on whether this rule applies to e-cigarettes or not. According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, individual carriers have the right to decide whether to allow e-cigarette use during flights. Read more here.

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