WASHINGTON, June 12 (UPI) -- The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids says a federal report shows the nation's major cigarette manufacturers aren't curtailing marketing efforts, as promised.
The organization's executive director, William Corr, said the annual Federal Trade Commission report on cigarette marketing and sales shows the companies increased marketing and promotional expenditures to a record $11.22 billion during 2001.
Corr said that represents a one-year increase of 17 percent from the $9.59 billion spent during 2000. And he said it represents a 66.6 percent increase since the tobacco companies agreed to curtail some aspects of their marketing as part of the November 1998 legal settlement with the states.
He accused the companies of attempting to convince the public and policy makers they have curtailed their "harmful" marketing practices since the state tobacco settlement.
But he said the FTC report provides "powerful evidence that the tobacco companies have changed for the worse and have in fact increased their marketing in ways effective at addicting children."
