Campaign to Retire Camel’s ‘Old Joe’

In response to “Goodby to ‘Old Joe,’ ” editorial, March 11:

Kudos to The Times for joining U.S. Surgeon General Antonia Novello and the American Medical Assn. in urging R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. to retire Old Joe, the cartoon camel in the Camel cigarette ads. But simply appealing to an industry to drop one of the most successful ad campaigns in history--particularly an industry which has never been motivated by the public good--is bound to fall short of its goal.

The state Legislature this year will have the opportunity to rid California of this morally bankrupt ad campaign; I recently introduced AB 2936 to prohibit the use of cartoon characters in tobacco advertising. Any company that uses the youthful appeal of cartoons and the susceptibility of children to this type of advertising to market a product that is inherently deadly, as well as illegal for kids to possess or use, is not likely to respond to appeals to its collective conscience.

How can R.J. Reynolds dispute the appeal to children of the cartoon camel in light of the fact that Camel’s share of the illegal under-18 smokers market soared from just .5% to 33% with the Old Joe ad campaign? And even if this is an unintended result of the Old Joe ad campaign, as R.J. Reynolds contends, why do they not respond to the actual effect of their campaign in a responsible manner? Because the tobacco industry has never responded in a conscientious and responsible manner when it comes to public health, and the fact that we’re talking about little kids doesn’t bother R.J Reynolds one bit.

People have the right to make their own choices about smoking. However, that decision should be a fully informed decision made after a person reaches the legal age to smoke.

LLOYD G. CONNELLY

Assemblyman, D-Sacramento