Hawaii Governor Receives Support in Stand Against RJR
HONOLULU -- The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is praising Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle for speaking out against a new R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. cigarette named Kauai Kolada, reported the Associated Press.
Lingle said this past week that she found it disgusting that the company was using the name of Kauai, as well as Hawaii images, to market cigarettes to young people.
A spokeswoman for R.J. Reynolds said the company is making an adult project.
But Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said the company's continued marketing campaigns aimed at youth are "the height of corporate irresponsibility."
In its ad campaign, the company said Kauai Kolada cigarettes feature "Hawaiian hints of pineapple and coconut." It also uses the image of a hula girl to promote the new line of cigarettes.
In other industry news, the tobacco industry made more than $2.2 million in political contributions to federal candidates, political parties and political committees so far in the 2003-04 election cycle, according to a quarterly report issued by the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund and Common Cause.
Lingle said this past week that she found it disgusting that the company was using the name of Kauai, as well as Hawaii images, to market cigarettes to young people.
A spokeswoman for R.J. Reynolds said the company is making an adult project.
But Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said the company's continued marketing campaigns aimed at youth are "the height of corporate irresponsibility."
In its ad campaign, the company said Kauai Kolada cigarettes feature "Hawaiian hints of pineapple and coconut." It also uses the image of a hula girl to promote the new line of cigarettes.
In other industry news, the tobacco industry made more than $2.2 million in political contributions to federal candidates, political parties and political committees so far in the 2003-04 election cycle, according to a quarterly report issued by the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund and Common Cause.