U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for April 20

WASHINGTON, April 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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FRIDAY, APRIL 20: CIGARETTE ADS

Profile America — Friday, April 20th.  A major change in broadcast advertising occurred this month 42 years ago — as President Nixon signed a bill into law prohibiting cigarette advertising on the nation's airwaves.  The ban went into effect on January 1, 1971 — the first major step in the ongoing debate over the public health risk of smoking.  Until then, names such as Lucky Strike, Chesterfield, and Philip Morris had sponsored some of the most famous shows since the earliest days of broadcasting.  The percentage of those who smoke has gradually diminished in recent years. Currently, just over one-in-five Americans are smokers.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2012, p. 194
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 204

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau