OK, ultra.....here's your paper.
Cigarette advertisements portray smoking as a normal, healthy, fun-filled activity. This undermines the message from parents and teachers that smoking causes death and disease, and accordingly, should be banned.
Each day the tobacco industry loses 5,000 customers who die or quit tobacco use. As a result, by 1993, tobacco companies were spending over $6 billion annually to recruit new and current smokers. (90% of current smokers began while still in high school).
Cigarette advertisements tend to emphasize youthful vigor, sexual attraction, and independence - themes that are likely to appeal to teenagers and young adults. The three most heavily advertised brands of cigarettes - Marlboro, Camel and Newport - are responsible for 86% of the illegal youth market but only 35% of overall sales. 36% of cigarette ads are in magazines that reach teens.
Tobacco company spending for specialty gift items (such as t-shirts, caps, sunglasses, key chains, calendars and sporting goods) bearing a cigarette logo increased by 122% from $340 million in 1992 to $756 million in 1993.
"Old Joe," the cartoon camel used to advertise Camel cigarettes, is as familiar to 6 year old children as Mickey Mouse's silhouette. A study found that 91% of 6 year olds not only recognized the Old Joe image, but were able to correctly link him with cigarettes. This was the same recognition level measured for the Disney icon.
Tobacco companies can only argue that, to ban advertising would be an affront to the principles of American free enterprise, since the health risks of tobacco are no longer in dispute. This is a weak argument in view of the unique dangers of the product: All cigarettes contain carcinogens—whether there are few or many, they are still toxic. Cigarette smoke also contains more than 4,000 chemicals that are harmful to humans. Four million people will die from smoking this year, and create an enormous burden on our healthcare systems.
There really is no pro and con here....advertising tobacco should be banned.