“ENDORSEMENT OF CREMO ANTISPIT ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN BY PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS”

Letter by P. Flint Clough, MD
Journal of the American Medic al Association
Volume 96, number 12, page 967
March 21, 1931

A public apology by a physician for having been misled into endorsing a brand of cigars because of the manufacturer’s claim that they were sealed at the end by a machine and not hand-rolled by workers who sealed the tip with their saliva. In 1929 the American Cigar Company launched this controversial anti-spit advertising campaign in over 100 newspapers. Within two years Cremo became the top-selling five-cent cigar and drove thousands of small hand-roll cigar makers out of business. Still, the growing popularity of cigarettes led to a dramatic drop in cigar consumption in the 1930s.

_______________________________________

“The American Cigar Company has been carrying on an advertising campaign for its product, the ‘Cremo Cigar,’ in which the public is led to believe that most cigars are hand-made and have the tips finished off with the salvia of the individual workman. The campaign features a testimonial…stat[ing] that Cremo Cigars are not ‘spit-topped.’

“Physicians may admit that, theoretically, it is possible for disease to be transmitted by means of cigars. But when one considers the millions of cigars that are consumed annually and that it is extremely difficult to to find in medical literature any real evidence of the transmission of pathologic bacteria  by means of cigars, the campaign of the Cremo concern stands condemned.

“But physicians have a further interest in this problem – at least, many physicians do – not as physicians, but as men who enjoy a good cigar or cigaret. Advertising of this sort is pernicious from the social standpoint. If kept up persistently enough, it is likely to result in an attempt by the anti-tobacco fanatics to get on the statute books legislation prohibiting the sale and manufacture of tobacco products. The result would probably be another ‘holy war’ that will make the scientific discussion of the tobacco problem as difficult as the scientific discussion of the alcohol problem is today.”

–“Bureau of Investigation:
TOBACCO ADVERTISING GONE MAD”
JAMA, volume 94, number 11, page 810
March 15, 1930

“Too Many Cigars Last Night?”

Advertisement by Lehn & Fine, Inc, New York, for Pebeco Tooth Paste
The Saturday Evening Post
May 1920

Some dummy text

“‘LIGHT ME, POP!’ SAYS FOUR-YEAR OLD” (2 pages)

ACME (NEWS) PHOTO
May 28, 1940

“DALLAS, TEXAS…Nothing like a big black stogie after a mealtime bottle, claims Gerald Edward Summers, 4, of Dallas. The boy has been smoking since he was 2, is large for his age and has never been sick for all his smoking. Often he varies the cigar with a cigaret or pipe. Physicians have told his father that smoking in moderation will not harm the lad.”

“Militant anti-smoking group blamed after…
TRICK CIGAR BLOWS
MAN’S HEAD OFF!
‘He took two puffs, and then — BOOM!’ says restaurant manager” (3 pages)

Article by Henry Weber
WEEKLY WORLD NEWS
January 19, 1988

“Fireworks, fillers for Trick Cigars. Just the thing for April Fool Day”
Advertisement by J.C. Newman, New York
THE TOBACCO LEAF
March 17, 1910

“Authorities said the blast actually vaporized [George] Pressoa’s head.
“‘There was nothing left from the neck up,’ said Sgt. [Claudio] Mendes.
“…Suspected in the man’s death is the small but militant anti-smoking group Stop Smokers Now!.
“…Police say attacks on individuals like Pressoa are just a logical step in the group’s war against smoking in public.
“‘SSN is an underground group and extremely elusive,’ said Sgt. Mendes. ‘But I promise you we will stop them before another innocent smoker is killed.’
“‘George loved his cigars and railed against anyone who  tried to stop him from smoking. I wonder what he’s saying now,’ Mrs. Pressoa said.”

IT WAS INDEED…