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Excerpts from: Cig Ads Target Asian Youths

By Bryan Virasami  Newsday [08/26/02]
Asian teenagers who smoke tend to favor cigarette brands that are most advertised in store fronts, a study shows.

After Marlboros, Newport, Kool and Camel brands are the most popular brands among Asian teens -- also the most advertised in neighborhoods such as Flushing and Bayside.

The survey, coordinated by an organization based at Columbia University, also showed Asian kids pick up the habit in high school.

"They're smoking the brands most heavily advertised," said Heejun Roh, coordinator of the Tobacco Not Tolerated survey sponsored by the Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness Research and Training at at Columbia's School of Public Health.

The survey found that among Asian teens, 42 percent begin the habit in high school compared to 31 percent of African American teens, 33 percent Hispanic kids and 33 percent white teens.

The survey focused on mostly Korean teens because South Korea is home to the highest per capita cigarette consumption in the world, said Roh.

The survey was conducted by a group of Korean high school teens who also visited stores in Asian communities such as Flushing to survey advertising in storefronts.