|
|
|
Changes in the Cigarette Brand
Preferences of Adolescent Smokers
The August 19, 1994, issue of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention's (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
contains the article, "Changes in the Cigarette Brand Preferences of Adolescent
Smokers-U.S., 1989-1993." The article concludes that teens are more likely than
adults to smoke the most advertised cigarette brands.
The study also found the following:
- In 1993, the three most heavily advertised brands of cigarettes were
Marlboro, Camel, and Newport. Although combined sales of these brands accounted for only
35% of the overall cigarette market share, 86% of current adolescent smokers purchased one
of these three brands.
- The most significant changes in adolescent brand preference from 1989 through
1993 were an increase in the percentage of youths purchasing Camel cigarettes (+5.2
percentage points, a 64% increase) and Newport cigarettes (+4.5 percentage points, a 55%
increase) and a decrease in the percentage of youths purchasing Marlboro cigarettes (-8.7
percentage points, a 13% decline).
- Cigarette advertising appears to influence adolescent brand choice, an
important part of smoking behavior.
Whether intended or not, cigarette advertising appears to
reach young people and to affect their smoking behavior. Restrictions on advertising that
influences young people may need to be enacted. In addition, improved and intensified
public health advertising campaigns targeted to youth may be needed to counter the effects
of cigarette advertising.
MMWR
—
Changes in the Cigarette Brand
Preferences of Adolescent Smokers 43(32);577-581, August 19,
1994
|
|
