As a girl, Kari made countless trips to the store to buy cigarettes for her dad. I wanted to know why my dad smoked so much even though it wasn't healthy, so I took a smoke one day, then started taking more and more. As cigarette taxes increased, teen male smokers dropped off. But the tobacco industry is going after young women with a vengeance and young women, in turn, are prey to the advertising messages. They say smoking keeps you thin.
Smoking is glamorous.
Marketers know young women are very conscious about their body images. It's almost an obsession and they exploit this in the same way other products do. Tobacco ads in U.S. magazines use models that appear anorexic. Kelly Jean knows all about it. I'll buy a pack of cigarettes before I buy something to eat.