Tobacco Companies Want New Customers
No one is safe when it comes to profit.
Big Tobacco will do whatever it takes to addict more customers and make a profit. No one is off limits, no matter their age, race, gender or socioeconomic class. Learn how to spot the deception to protect yourself, and your loved ones, from the many complications of tobacco.
Youth
The Replacement Smokers
Start them young. Addict them for longer.
Flavors, sleek designs and harmful ingredients are Big Tobacco’s favorite tactics for enticing teens. Tobacco companies call them “replacement smokers.” Why? They take the place of smokers who have quit or been killed by tobacco products.
Black Americans
Menthol Marketing and Deadly Lies
Exploiting the Black experience for profit.
On average, 39,000 Black Americans die from tobacco-related cancers each year. This is no coincidence — Big Tobacco goes out of their way to market to Black communities and lie about the harmfulness of their products, such as menthols. They seem smoother, but that’s why they’re so deadly. They’re easier to smoke and harder to quit.
Women
Empty Promises & Insecurities
Selling lies to women and girls.
Big Tobacco targets women with promises of smaller waistlines and increased freedom. Brands like Virginia Slims and Lucky capitalized on these high-selling tactics by updating their ads, year after year, with sleeker, smaller designs. The results? Increased profits, cancer diagnoses and deaths amongst women.
Veterans
Targeting Those Who Served
Causing addiction with samples and discounts.
For decades, Big Tobacco has specifically targeted military personnel and veterans through special promotions and military-themed advertisements. Many veterans began smoking during service when cigarettes were included in rations or sold at steep discounts on military installations. The industry continues to exploit patriotic imagery and military connections while veterans suffer higher rates of tobacco-related illness.
Low-Income Communities
The Low, Low Price of Addiction
The cheaper products are, the faster they sell.
In Big Tobacco’s eyes, everyone is a valuable target — regardless of their income. In Oklahoma, Big Tobacco spends about $150 million per year on marketing promotions to attract new customers and keep the old ones around for a lifetime … regardless of how short that “lifetime” might be.
Loopholes
Big Tobacco Is Creative
They’ll also find a way to exploit Americans.
When one door closes, Big Tobacco finds a window. They’ve rebranded cigarettes as “filtered” or “light,” created new product categories and villainized cessation tools to trick Americans. The tobacco industry is constantly throwing the rule book out the window to keep addiction high.
Take Action
Make a Change
Stay in the know on all things Big Tobacco and learn how you can fight back.