Tobacco Advertising Bans: Some Thoughts

This paper examines some of the evidence concerning tobacco advertising and tobacco consumption and discusses the imposition of various bans on tobacco advertising. Important examples of such bans are the 1971 electronic media ban in the U.S.A., the 1976 Australian electronic media ban and the recently introduced magazine and newspaper ban in Australia. The evidence is not totally convincing that tobacco advertising bans reduce tobacco consumption. However, this does not preclude a total ban as part of any future Australian comprehensive smoking control policy.