ABSTRACT
At the time of writing, 1993, cigarette and tobacco advertising is the subject of much debate. The British Parliament, for example, is considering how to respond to a Draft Directive published by the EC Commission in May 1991 which proposes a prohibition on tobacco advertising in newspapers and posters and to restrict such advertising to ‘specialist’ retail outlets. One of the issues here is whether cigarette adverts encourage or persuade people who do not already smoke to do so, or whether they merely inform people who do already smoke that other brands are available. Generally, the Health Lobby argue the former and lovers of freedom argue the latter. Another issue is whether tobacco advertising increases overall consumption of tobacco. The Health Lobby and the EC argue that it does and the freedom lovers argue that it does not. Consequently, and unsurprisingly, the Health Lobby is for the ban on cigarette adverts and the freedom lovers are against it.1
