by Jonathan Adler

About the author: Jonathan Adler is a policy analyst at the Washington, D.C.–based Competitive Enterprise Institute, a public interest group dedicated to the principles of free enterprise and limited government.

Responding to complaints filed by anti-smoking activists, the staff of the Federal Trade Commission [FTC] in 1993 called for banning cigarette advertisements featuring “Old Joe” Camel....

The opposition to the Joe Camel advertising campaign is based upon allegations that R.J. Reynolds uses the character to induce minors to smoke. This, in turn, is labeled an “unfair” business practice because it is illegal for minors to purchase cigarettes. On these grounds, the Coalition on Smoking OR Health, which is made up of members of the American Lung Association, American Heart Association...