Anti-Tobacco Ads Shine Spotlight On Stark Statistics About Who Actually Smokes Cigarettes
A disproportionately high number of smokers are soldiers or have a mental illness, the ads claim. Meanwhile, a separate study finds that a $1 increase in the price of a pack of cigarettes helps cut smoking rates.
The Washington Post:
New Ads Accuse Big Tobacco Of Targeting Soldiers And People With Mental Illness
Truth Initiative, a leading tobacco-control nonprofit, has bought TV ads to run this Sunday during MTV’s Music Awards that accuse tobacco companies of purposely targeting mentally ill people and U.S. soldiers. The ads focus on this stark but little known fact: Roughly 40 percent of cigarettes sold in the U.S. are smoked by people with mental health issues, including depression, anxiety or substance-abuse problems. (Wan, 8/24)
The New York Times:
20 Percent More Smokers Quit After $1 Price Increase
When the price of a pack of cigarette increases by $1, there is a 20 percent increase in rates of quitting smoking. Researchers linked data on the smoking habits of 632 smokers, average age 58, to neighborhood cigarette prices in 896 chain grocery and drugstores in 19 states. They gathered data on local laws on indoor smoking in public places, and followed changes in prices, laws and smoking habits over 10 years. (Bakalar, 8/23)
