The tobacco industry and underage youth smoking: tobacco industry documents from the Minnesota litigation.
OBJECTIVE
To learn how underage youth have been regarded by the major tobacco companies, as revealed in industry documents during the Minnesota litigation.


METHODS
Documents from Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp, Lorillard Tobacco Co, Philip Morris Inc, and R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.


METHODS
Documents available from the State of Minnesota and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota v Philip Morris Inc et al during the discovery process of the trial. Hundreds of industry documents related to youth, teenagers, and young adults were examined. A sample of documents are referenced as illustrations of key points.


CONCLUSIONS
Underage youths are viewed by the tobacco industry as critical to its future. Underage youth smoking patterns were examined for decades. Reductions in youth smoking rates were seen by tobacco companies as a negative trend for the companies. Specific marketing campaigns were directed at underage youth and were successful with this age group. Tobacco industry practices should continue to be carefully scrutinized.
Perry
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Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55403, USA. perry@epivax.epi.umn.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D000329:Advertising; D006801:Humans; D008910:Minnesota; D012106:Research; D012907:Smoking; D019460:Tobacco Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence