Advertising of cigarettes?

At the end of last week, Australian and American sociologists announced sensational results of a study of advertising against smoking. It turned out that the promotion of healthy lifestyle produces the opposite effect on the audience. Social advertising only enhances and reinforces interest in cigarettes. Findings of scientists are particularly interesting in light of the fact that the world's third anti-smoking propaganda funded by major producers of cigarettes.
New large-scale anti-smoking campaign launched in the capital several months ago. «Cigarette strangles you!» - Says one advertising billboard, «Smoking is not cool» - convinces the other, «Selling cigarettes to teenagers is prohibited» - prevents third. However, doctors and psychologists, addiction treatment strongly doubt the effectiveness of such propaganda.
These doubts and proving the results of the Australian and American scientists study. Interviewing over 100 thousand adolescents, researchers concluded that anti-smoking commercials, not only does not cause people to quit smoking but even exacerbate habit. Domestic doctors fully agree with the conclusions of their foreign colleagues. As evidence they lead in the World Health Organization. For heavy smokers in Russia today can be attributed more than half of men and not less than 10% of women. Among high school students and students of the same doctors counted 53% of male smokers and 28% of girls.
In fact, experts explain that the social counter-advertising has a very selective and specific. Non-smoker, for example, simply does not notice her, for it is just background. With respect to dependent smoking man, he did not care in what context to see the pleasant cigarette: in the form of a beautiful advertising or menacing warning. In any case, the familiar image is bound to cause him an irresistible desire to smoke. «In a heavy smoker is not a rational understanding of helpful or harmful to health - explained« OR »Director of Medical Program of the« No to Alcoholism and Drug Addiction », expert Public Chamber Sergei Polyatykin. - So a reminder, in any form will cause dependent pleasant associations ».
According to experts, there is nothing to be surprised. A large percentage of commercials and advertising campaigns against smoking sponsored and conducted by the tobacco companies themselves, which even with the help of anti contrive to accustom the people to smoking. «It is clear as day - said« NO »Chairman of the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights« Social control »Michael Anshakov. - With the help of social advertising tobacco industry to kill two birds with one stone. On the one hand, and whitewash his name, on the other hand, are a definite advantage in the form of increased interest in their products. This interest is, unfortunately, leads some people to the fact that they begin to smoke ».
Meanwhile, tobacco companies themselves categorically disagree with the ineffectiveness of anti-tobacco advertising. Also, alternative, in their opinion, it has not yet been invented. Reject it and the assumption that the negative publicity somehow play into their hands. «Such statements are simply demagoguery, - explained« NO »Advisor Managing Director« British American Tobacco Russia »Vladimir Aksenov. - It is not clear on what grounds these researchers concluded that negative publicity of child smoking profitable tobacco companies, besides more and specially they supported and carried out. Especially in such social commercials and posters authorship and sponsorship does not indicate ».