Camel Crush Cigarette Ads Target Children: Say Health Groups

Latest ads by Camel Crush cigarettes in magazines have come under the scanner for unfairly targeting American kids.

Health groups such as the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association have attacked the cigarette-making company for targeting young children and have requested at least two state attorneys to investigate the advertisements.

These groups said that the advertisements violate the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement that prohibits cigarette makers from targeting kids.

Richard Smith, the spokesman for Camel's manufacturer, Reynolds American Inc., said that the company believed the ads are in full compliance with the Settlement. He said the company ensures that its advertorial content is mostly focused on adults and only advertises in magazines whose adult readership is 85 percent or higher.

The health groups argued that the advertisements promoted the company's Camel Crush brand, in which one can put capsule in the cigarette's filter to get the menthol flavor.

Menthol flavored cigarettes, too, are facing criticism. Health group say they appeal to children because of the flavor. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is studying the effects of menthol flavoring in cigarettes on people.

This is not the first time that the company drew criticism for its advertisements. For several years Reynolds was strongly criticized for using its Joe Camel cartoon character to attract children to smoking. The company has also faced various lawsuits for its advertisements.

In the U.S. print ads for tobacco are legal. However, advertising on the radio, television and billboards is banned in the country.