Tobacco Documents Online

S RJ. Rernoldt Tobacco Company Response to the Surgeon General's 1994 Report February 1994 R J. Revnoids Tcbacco Company and the tobacco industry have a clear position: youth should not smoke. We demonstrate our position by offering programs to supplement other efforts: an in-achool --ogram focused on decision making that resists peer pressure ("Right Decisions, Right Now"), a retail training program to reduce underage access ("Support the Law"), and materials to help parents talk to their children about not emoking. These programs were developed by child educators, psychologists and with retanlers' guidance. They reflect the many research studies that shoa neer influence and parental esampie are the key reasons why kids smoke, and that restricting access to cigarettes retiuces youth smoking. 0

Some Facts about Youth Smoking I :uonce and famtlv "srnple s.•e ti-e ~r.ne,pai reasons why kids start to imoke. Research on underage :;.:~o sr ner.e inaicates tr.ev a.'e nsk t:Aers «no often experunent with other risky behavion, including _s:r.g C..-ugs ana se~ er-~ en; ca;s :na cate t1:at sMcK'ng nss aeciuloa over the past 1f years, whtlo negative attttudes ~~cut sTofur,g lave inc;eaaea. % c.:L". d; nct smoKe, a:,corair.a to government statistics. _. ..cr.: s- s'r:ow L-,at tobacco a,:% cr:-sing does not change youth'a overwhelming negative optnions s^^:R.~g -; _._:si :.. .. _,,.ocuc: cx:snng age-restnct:cn laws has been determ:ned by 5•. .,-;. ,ne Tee:ca: co.^Mu:.:;. es ^r.e ci tr.e rnost effectrve ways to reduce underage smoking. _.-. _..!. s:,::es Lnt::;,Ice .: at e::^::r:a;:ng ;c~.-acco advornsing vrifl not reduce youth smoking s:•.:,:es nave tc,::.a tt;at t:.e Lncidence of youth smoking is in fact higher tn sotno countztes with :. . ~: 5_' ,-9C-BC~:" SL1g ... .. ~s: .,. 7te9 with Iltated or rto re3tTlcucns ;: !t c:garene ac~~ :s~.g ,a,.:scs ~~ .., to begin smoking have been generated largciy by the ......_... ........~:.:ty, not ad~crtis:ng a:.c rosrKeur,3 experts faiaillar with the ads' objectives and linutations. s-~% c^ s:ng ccrunun,cates brand c?~ions to adult smokers, and servei only to reinforce brand s\Vitch smaxers 3rnong br--nos ".e tncustry's ~oluntar} guidelines address the placement of an..:ts con:ent. zd# Additional tnfot-rnatton on these potnts is in tltis press packet. cr i::cr: :n:~rt..anor., or questions, piease caii R;Reynoids Tobacco Company at 910 741-7674, or 741-6996. 0