Keane, Denise F.
California state Attorney General Bill Lockyer writes Philip Morris chastising the company for distributing unsolicited "Think. Don't Smoke" bookcovers in California schools and for using an ineffective anti-smoking message. Lockyer points out that the message "Think. Don't Smoke" is a poor message to use with teenagers because "They [teenagers] dislike being told 'don't' and everyone knows such a message in an ineffective form of communicating rules to teenagers."
Lockyer ends by pointing out how Philip Morris could be more effective at influencing kids not to start smoking:
"If Philip Morris is truly concerned about ensuring that America's youth do not start smoking, the most effective step your company can take is immediately to stop these self-promotional campaigns which use ineffective anti-smoking messages and dilute the powerful anti-smoking messages employed by the States and the Legacy Foundation. Philip Morris should not be in the business of trying to educate school children on this issue, especially because Marlboro is far and away the leading brand among children."