Pubdate: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 Source: Bristol Evening Post (UK) Copyright: 2003 Bristol Evening Post Contact: http://www.nepmidlands.co.uk/thisis_general/redirects/bristolletts.html Website: http://www.epost.co.uk Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2412 CIGARETTE PAPER ADVERT RAPPED BY INDUSTRY WATCHDOG An advert for cigarette papers glamourised smoking and appeared to condone illegal drug taking, the advertising watchdog ruled yesterday. The magazine promotion for Zig Zag rolling papers showed two attractive women with the words "smooth skins" tattooed on their shoulders. Bristol-based Imperial Tobacco, which makes well-known brands such as Superkings and John Player Special, claimed the advert broke industry guidelines on advertising cigarettes. It also objected to the use of the word "skins" because it could be associated with smoking cannabis. Manchester-based Zig Zag argued the guidelines "neither prohibited nor discouraged the use of glamourous or attractive female models", although it said the women used were not professional models. It told the Advertising Standards Authority the wording in the advert implied its rolling papers were "as smooth as the women's skin", and insisted it knew of no connection with illegal drugs. The ASA decided the advert broke the cigarette code because it "linked smoking with admirable qualities, exaggerated the pleasure of smoking and implied that it was glamourous to smoke". The watchdog also told Zig Zag to drop "skins" from its advert after concluding the word could be linked to cigarette papers used for smoking cannabis. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom