CIGARETTE PAPER ADVERT RAPPED BY INDUSTRY WATCHDOG

An advert for cigarette papers glamourised smoking and appeared to condone
illegal drug taking, the advertising watchdog ruled yesterday. The magazine
promotion for Zig Zag rolling papers showed two attractive women with the
words "smooth skins" tattooed on their shoulders.

Bristol-based Imperial Tobacco, which makes well-known brands such as
Superkings and John Player Special, claimed the advert broke industry
guidelines on advertising cigarettes.

It also objected to the use of the word "skins" because it could be
associated with smoking cannabis.

Manchester-based Zig Zag argued the guidelines "neither prohibited nor
discouraged the use of glamourous or attractive female models", although it
said the women used were not professional models.

It told the Advertising Standards Authority the wording in the advert
implied its rolling papers were "as smooth as the women's skin", and
insisted it knew of no connection with illegal drugs.

The ASA decided the advert broke the cigarette code because it "linked
smoking with admirable qualities, exaggerated the pleasure of smoking and
implied that it was glamourous to smoke".

The watchdog also told Zig Zag to drop "skins" from its advert after
concluding the word could be linked to cigarette papers used for smoking
cannabis.