Low Tar Cigarettes are 'Death Repackaged'

September 22, 2003

A new Government-funded campaign is aimed at alerting smokers to the dangers of low-tar cigarettes.

The "death repackaged" campaign, to be launched on Tuesday.

It carries the message that "a nice name doesn't make something less deadly".

One advert features a great white shark given the name "Susie", another a crocodile called "Mike" and a third a rattlesnake dubbed "Rosie".

Campaigners say the point is to urge people not to think that low tar and mild cigarettes are less harmful or healthier than other varieties.

The £2.5 million campaign is being run by the charity Cancer Research UK, but is financed by the Department of Health.

The move coincides with an EU directive which will clamp down on cigarette marketing from the end of this month.

Tobacco manufacturers will no longer be allowed to use terms such as "light" and "mild" in their branding.

The industry has already countered the forthcoming legislation by replacing the banned descriptions with subtle design changes and new names such as "silver", "fine" or "smooth".

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