9781422272305

As readers go over these pages, they will likely be stunned to learn what tobacco companies got away with in the early days of advertising. They may be even more startled to learn that this type of marketing was very common for decades and was only restricted fairly recently. Hopefully, those reading this book will understand how marketing twists reality and will stay away from cigarettes and other tobacco products for good. The Origins of Tobacco Advertising The use of tobacco originated among Native Americans, and was spread around the world after the arrival of European settlers in North America during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In many cultures, tobacco was a luxury item that only the very rich could afford. The average person had little time or money for tobacco use. Although its health effects were not fully known, some authorities recognized early on that smoking tobacco could cause health problems. In 1590, Pope Urban VIII outlawed the use of tobacco inside Roman Catholic churches throughout the world. In a 1604 essay, King James I of England wrote that smoking was “A custome lothsome to the eye, hatefull to the Nose, harmefull to the braine, dangerous to the Lungs.” Other European leaders also attempted to ban or control the use of tobacco. During the nineteenth century, industrial production of cigarettes and other tobacco products increased their availability. Cigarette and cigar use then rose heavily. At first, most people got cigarettes or tobacco products from local providers. Advertising during that time was very basic, simply promoting the names and addresses of vendors who offered tobacco products. One of the earliest methods of advertising a particular brand of cigarettes involved the use of small colored cards that were placed in cigarette packs. These cards started to appear during the late

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The Early Years of Tobacco Advertising