Exposure of adolescent girls to cigar images in women's magazines, 1992-1998

Abstract

Objectives. This study assessed the exposure of adolescent girls to cigar images in women's magazines from 1992 to 1998. Methods. Data were obtained from the 5 women's magazines with the highest readership of adolescent girls. Results. We found a significant upward trend in cigar images portrayed in women's magazines and a significant increase in the portrayal of women cigar smokers over the period observed. Cigar images were less likely than cigarette images to promote tobacco or nontabacco products. Among advertisements, nearly all those that featured cigars promoted nontobacco products; advertisements featuring cigarettes overwhelmingly promoted tobacco products. Conclusions. Between 1992 and 1998, adolescent readers of women's magazines were increasingly exposed to images of cigars.