Capps: "R.J. Reynolds' Token Concession on Tobacco Ads a Day Late and a Dollar Short"

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Capps: "R.J. Reynolds' Token Concession on Tobacco Ads a Day Late and a Dollar Short"

Tobacco Company Continues to Push Addictive, Deadly Product to Girls and Young Women with Gimmicks and Giveaways; No Word Still from Women's Magazines that Keep Cashing Big Tobacco's Checks and Passing the Buck on Readers' Health and Safety

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Lois Capps (CA-23) released the following statement in response to media reports that R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is considering dropping some print ads for its cigarette brands next year. For the last six months Capps has been working with other lawmakers, advocacy groups, and grassroots activists to halt print advertisements for all tobacco products, particularly Camel No. 9 ads, in Women's magazines:

"R.J. Reynolds' token concession regarding its irresponsible advertisements of tobacco products comes a day late and a dollar short. It still plans to keep peddling its poisonous product to young people with more gimmicks and giveaways designed to make something that's deadly and addictive seem sexy and glamorous. The idea that the company that brought us Joe Camel is claiming "industry and corporate social-responsibility" is laughable. R.J. Reynolds' is merely trying to escape the controversy generated by its unscrupulous advertising practices, most notably its Camel No. 9 ads which have been almost universally denounced for inappropriately targeting young women and girls. Sadly the only allies who remain in R.J. Reynolds' corner condoning these despicable marketing practices are the magazine companies who continue to cash in on their reader's health and safety."

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