David Tannenbaum

About the author: David Tannenbaum is an intern at Multinational Monitor, a monthly journal that focuses on the issues of labor, globalization, and corporate corruption.

As a result of various lawsuits, several cigarette companies were required to release records documenting their intentional marketing of tobacco products to minors. These documents reveal that tobacco companies tracked their brands' popularity among teens, designed cigarette labels specifically for youths, and planned advertising campaigns to increase their market share among minors. In an attempt to deny allegations that they were targeting youths, the tobacco industry designed public relations programs and educational publications that emphasized the need for adults to help youths make responsible decisions about smoking. The intent of these programs was not to reduce teen smoking but to boost the public image of...