Argumentative Cigarette Paper Research Sample Smoking The popularity of smoking advertisements first came into play at the

year 1868, when Bill Durham became the first leading tobacco brand to advertise at a big scale. Its advertisement placed emphasis on how easy it was to roll your own cigar. However, the popularity of cigars decreased when cigarette smoking was introduced during World War I. It is recognized as a more modernized version of the traditional tobacco cigar, which is smaller in size and contains filler leaves held together by binder leaves. The cigarette contains tobacco leaves enclosed in a paper that is ignited at one end and smoldered for the inhalation of smoke (Columbia Encyclopedia, 2005). The advertisements during the 1930s addressed the need for cigarette smoking during the war such as Camel and Lucky Strike. Memorable taglines like When our boys light up, the Huns will light out! and We want Camels! were among the popular advertisements that depicted the cigarette consumption craze during the World War I (Kozlowski, Henningfield & Brigham, 2001). During this time, the negative risks of smoking tobacco were not widely known. Advertisements during the 1940s to the 1960s brought about a new image of smoking, where they showed beautiful people in sophisticated clothing smoking cigarettes (Chickenhead Productions, 1998) and enjoying the social scene. It was only during the year 1971 that the problem of cigarette smoking was publicly addressed as hazardous to the health and environment as it brought about all types of diseases, damaged surroundings and affected even the physical conditions of non-smokers. The introduction of the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act formally convinced all cigarette companies to put health warning signs on their packaging and advertisements (Wikipedia, 2006). However, little did the societies know that the dilemma of cigarette smoking among the youth was going to be rampant during the 1970s and reach its peak in the 1990s. Teenage smoking became recognized as national issue that needed to be addressed. In a 1990 Center for Disease Control and Preventions Study, it was estimated that each year underage smokers purchased 947 million packs of cigarettes with a probable number of 3 million underage smokers (Difranza, J.R. and Tye, J.B., 1990). According to a 1998 survey conducted by the University of Michigan entitled Monitoring the Future Study , daily smoking among 12th grade students decreased in the late 1970s and increased during the 1990s before diminishing again in the year 1998. Between the years 1992 to 1997, smoking daily increased once more from 17.2 percent to 24.6 percent. This goes to shows that the cigarette smoking problem among the youth has not yet been efficiently addressed due to inconsistent cigarette consumption rates (Johnston, O'Malley,

& Bachman, 1998). It is reported that the positive advertisements projected by the cigarette companies as well as peer pressure remain to be the top reasons why the youth experiment with cigarettes (Wart, 2005). B. Statement of the Problem Teenage smoking has remained to be a serious problem ever since the 1970s. Until now, cigarettes are still recognized as the most dangerous substance being used by a great number of high school students on a daily basis. The impact of nicotine, the powerful drug contained in cigarettes, is undeniably responsible for the addictive pleasure of smoking as well as its severe side effects. Despite their wide exposure to the health warning signs engraved in cigarette ads and containers, teenagers today still fail to see that cigarette smoking can bring about harmful consequences to their health as well as their future lifestyle (Leshner, 2005). The trendy and sophisticated cigarette advertisements paraded along the streets, malls and highways have managed to brainwash them with favorable images of smoking (Slovic, 2001). This should not be the case, however, since cigarette smoking can indeed bring damage to the lives of these helpless teenagers. In an attempt to analyze and solve this specific problem, the writer would like to look into a number of significant areas: 1. What are the negative and positive effects of cigarette smoking? 2. How do the powerful effects of cigarette advertisements affect the teenagers? 3. What is the youth's perception of smoking? 4. What are some of the favorable images of cigarette brands? 5. What are some of the other reasons why teenagers smoke? 6. What were some of the solutions that were addressed in the past? 7. Why were some implementations effective and why were some ineffective? 8. What could be an alternative solution to the problem? C. Significance of the Problem This paper focuses on how the dilemma of cigarette smoking should be addressed to the youth by means of advertising. The author opted to use advertising as a tool to tackle the problem since her findings indicate that the powerful effects of advertisements are largely responsible for reinforcing cigarette consumption among the youth. The writer wishes to oppose the favorable images brought about by the cigarette companies by proposing an advertising campaign that would promote a collection of novelty and compelling anti-cigarette smoking advertisements and activities that the youth can easily participate in. The writer chose the

youth as her target market for the reason that they are sensitive consumers who are easily swayed by the current of vices present in the society such as cigarette smoking. Moreover, the youth are also the ones who are mostly affected by the problem since they could be jeopardizing their hopes and aspirations of having a bright future ahead of them. The writer believes that it is important that this dilemma be addressed so that the cigarette users and the general public, most especially the youth, will be informed of the various bad effects cigarette smoking brings to the society. D. Scope and Limitations This paper will focus on research that revolves around the past events and situations that the cigarette companies and advertisers had gone through in the past in trying to adapt to the changing attitudes of the consumers. In addition, it will also include the controversial effects of cigarette smoking, as well as the solutions that were implemented to confront the problem and how it created a huge impact to the public. Moreover, it will contain an alternative proposal recommended by the writer, which may help overcome the teenage smoking problem. This paper will only cover facts and data from the year 1886 to the year 2005 since the facts contained in this time duration contain information that is useful in investigating the subject matter. The details of this proposal will solely be limited to data from United States as well due to the writer's lack of comprehensive source. In addition, the author would like to acknowledge her use of books, journals and internet websites as her sources in creating this academic paper. The researcher also wishes to use direct observations (in school campuses, malls, teenage hang-outs, movies) in order to get a firm grasp of the subject matter. 2. The Review of Related Literature A. Past Research Regarding the Problem It has already been researched in the past that cigarette smoking causes serious health problems on the individual such as cardiovascular diseases (i.e. Atherosclerosis Cerebrovascular Disease), respiratory diseases (i.e. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and Cancer (i.e. Lung Cancer, Oral Cancer, Esophageal Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Kidney Cancer, Cancer of Urinary Bladder). Second-hand smokers or people who do not smoke but are exposed to it also encounter health problems since they inhale poisonous chemicals such as formaldehyde, arsenic and cyanide (Slovic, 2001). Cigarette smoking brings about serious problems to the environment as well since it contains Carbon Monoxide, which can destroy natural resources, negatively affect animals, and generate pollution. Also, cigarette smoking can cause harmful

effects to the fetus if the mother is a smoker or is surrounded by first-hand smokers, such as fetal injury, premature birth and low weight birth. Another problem that cigarette smoking brings is the addictive feature that it contains which is found in the chemical or psychoactive drug called nicotine. Psychological, social and pharmacological components of the addiction are interrelated and often entwined in such a fashion that they are mutually independent, like strings of a rope. However, nicotine produces a good effect for the individual in a way that it helps him relieve stress and generates a certain calming effect . (Richmond, 1994). In

addition, cigarette smoking generates more detrimental effects for teenage smokers since it brings about higher risks of dying early for the reason that a young individual's body may weaken at a faster pace until he gets older (Leshner, 2005). Based on her research, the writer came across a number of sources, which pinpointed advertising as the culprit for reinforcing cigarette consumption among the youth. In the past, advertisers did little to suppress the fact that smoking indeed causes Cancer. In fact, they projected such an elegant and luxurious impression of advertising cigarettes that cigarette sales skyrocketed all around the world, therefore increasing the number of smokers. Some of the cigarette brands that created successful, trademark images were Marlboro's cowboy icon, known as the Marlboro Man and Virginia Slim's version of a classy and sophisticated female smoker. Creating positive images became the most effective marketing technique for advertising cigarettes since they brought about feelings of pleasure and optimism for the consumers. The most favorable images, which concerned popularity, celebrity status, relaxation and drinking, created a representation of the different types of smokers, as shown through various survey results such as the popular smoker, the relaxed smoker, the celebrity smoker and the drinker (Slovic, 2001). Hip slogans also elicited positive responses from the people. Virginia Slims' advertisers utilized the workings of creating catchy and powerful taglines in the 1990s such as Find your voice and It's a woman thing to link smoking to women's freedom, emancipation and empowerment (Tobacco Information and Prevention Source). According to King, Siegel and Celebucki, as stated in their journal, these favorable images of smoking, which were mostly found in trendy and popular magazines that were read by youthful readers, caused an increased interest in smoking among adolescents (as cited by Slovic, 2001). In a second Annenburg Tobacco Survey of 2001, it was discovered that young people from ages 14-29 years old were the ones who had more knowledge and exposure to cigarette advertisements. In his analysis, Paul Slovic states, the decline in the adolescents' perceived

health risk of smoking as they age is a result of the diffusion of favorable images and feelings toward the behavior. Other reasons that compel young people to smoke include peer pressure, personal problems, the strong influence of media and the cool impression smoking brings. A. Past Impelementations One solution that has already been implemented is the putting of health warning signs in cigarette print advertisements and television and radio commercials. This was executed to enhance the awareness of the general public regarding the harmful effects cigarette smoking brings to the person's health and the environment (Slovic, 2001). Another solution that has already been executed is the creation of numerous anti-smoking advertisements. During the year 2002, Philip Morris, one of the tobacco industry giants, promoted a big nationwide anticigarette campaign targeted to the youth called Think, Don't Smoke . Legacy Foundation also promoted an advertising campaign opposing cigarette smoking for the youngsters entitled Truth Campaign during the same year (American Public Health Association, 2002). B. Effective and Ineffective Solutions The health warning captions engraved in the advertisements and television and radio commercials were quite effective only at a temporary period. The Truth campaign appeared to generate long-term effects for teenagers to quit smoking; while the Philip Morris Think, Don't Smoke campaign proved to be unsuccessful. C. The Reasons Behind the Implemented Solutions The putting of health warning signs was effective only for a few years. The first time it was announced to the public during the 70s, it sparked controversy between cigarette industries and the general public, which led to a temporary ban of cigarette advertising. For a brief period, the Fairness Doctrine required the airing of counteradvertising on television and radio to oppose the cigarette advertisements controlled by the cigarette industries (Sargent, 1998; cited by Slovic, 2001). The creation of anti-cigarette advertisements proved to be successful for some youngsters as well. The Philip Morris Think, Don't Smoke campaign did not received good feedback from concerned organizations and teenagers since the advertisements it promoted were not compelling enough. The advertisements featured teens explaining why do not smoking. It also showed athletes rejecting cigarettes, and a young girl turning down a cigarette to get a black belt in karate. Michael Wood, the vice president of Teenage Research Unlimited, quoted that The young people in the Philip Morris ads don't look believable. Legacy's Truth campaign, on

the other hand, generated good criticism from teens. One of the advertisements of the project exhibited teenagers dragging body bags in front of a cigarette company's office. The youngsters were shown holding up a poster stating that 1,200 die each day due to smoking. Teenagers responded that the commercial reinforced their anti-tobacco sentiments, reducing their future chances of smoking. The rating of youngsters who believed that taking a stand against tobacco is important to me increased from 72 to 83 percent; whereas, the percent of teens who wanted to participate in endeavors to get rid of smoking ranged from 65 to 82 percent (American Public Health Association, 2002). D. Alternative Solution To combat the favorable images of smoking, the author wishes to create an anti-cigarette campaign in the Philippines where she will collaborate with the Lung Center of the Philippines organization to promote more compelling advertisements that are rich in imagery since the young are easily moved by pictures. She considers that they should be created in a way that teenagers could easily relate to. Moreover, these advertisements should highlight the fact that smoking can indeed, kill people. They should also include announcements concerning a postermaking contest for teenagers who want to join the movement against the negative effects of cigarette smoking. The winners of the contest will be given cash prizes, while the teenagers who are interested in the campaign will be encouraged to buy tickets to a big concert entitled Trash the Ash which will feature famous Filipino musical artists who wish to support anticigarette for the youth. II. Project Proposal 1. Statement of Need Cigarette smoking has been a rampant problem ever since the 19th century. Nicotine the chemical responsible for the drug pleasures of smoking was the culprit that brought about dangers and threats concerning the individual's health and the natural environment. The opium wars of the 1900s as well as the excessive use of cigarettes during World War I in the 20th century depicted the negative craze that some people had over cigarette consumption in the past. This trend aggravated in the 1990s when the increase in tobacco use caused approximately 3 million deaths per year worldwide with the speculation that it would reach 1 billion premature deaths between 1990 and 2100 (Kozlowski, Henningfield & Brigham, 2001). The intensity of the dilemma highlighted the stagnant rate of cigarette consumption among the youth, which continued to maintain its level for 28 years already beginning at the mid-1970s

to the year 2005. According to the December 2005 Monitoring the Future study conducted by the University of Michigan, the rate of teenage cigarette users from the 8th to 12th grade in the United States, had managed to level off at the 15,000 to 17,000 range of students out of the total number of 50,000 respondents (Johnston et al, 2006). This exhibits the fact that the smoking problem concerning the youth did not bring about any form of long-term improvement in the past number of years. Rather, it appears that the sophisticated and eye-catching cigarette smoking advertisements paraded in highway billboards and television screens still continue to manipulate the eager minds of youngsters with their favorable images exhibiting the wonders of popularity, celebrity status, relaxation and drinking (Slovic, 2001). It is unfortunate that the powerful effects of these idealistic cigarette advertisements have repelled teenagers from seeing the negative reality that smoking truly brings to the society. It is vital that the society be compelled to take necessary measures in addressing the harmful consequences instigated by smoking since they produce damaging effects to its citizens most especially the youth, who are highly sensitive to their environment and easily persuaded by the current vices of the society. If this dilemma does not attain any form of progress in the upcoming years, these teenagers could be jeopardizing their hopes and aspirations of attaining a bright future ahead of them. After all, cigarette smoking generates more detrimental effects to young smokers since their bodies may weaken at a faster pace until they get older (Kozlowski, Henningfield & Brigham, 2001). In an attempt to resolve this problem, the writer believes that there is a great need to create compelling anti-smoking advertisements that are rich in visualization so as to oppose the luxurious and trendy images that are being projected by the cigarette companies in their advertisements. This way, the teenagers could divert their attention away from the favorable impressions of cigarette smoking; and focus on the negative risks instead. the youth would be able to relate to so as to grab their attention. This project will include advertisements that will promote a poster-making contest