Cigarette makers were some of the first to use Halloween in advertising. For at least a hundred years, people were fooled into thinking cigarettes didn’t taste like ashtrays.
Famous actors and entertainers would personally vouch for products, back in the day when celebrities were thought to have integrity and such opinions could be trusted.
There was the disturbing common practice of real medical doctors declaring some cigarette brands healthier than others and even making claims that smoking was beneficial.
Old Gold took the high road and chose not to lie about selling products that kill people.
What a waste of a good hat!
Excess was king during the 70s. From cigarettes to Halloween costumes, everything was sexy.
Newport brands liked to show pretty young couples having a ball carving jack-o-lanterns and picking out pumpkins to show how romantic cigarettes can be. I guess the couple that smokes together, loses a lung together.
In the 80s, Camel made huge profits off its Joe Camel character and sexy ads selling cigarettes that made you look cool.
By early 90s though, the jig was up, whistle-blowers started coming forward about the lies big tobacco companies told the world about their filthy products and the print ads all but disappeared in a puff of smoke.
So, whether we want to admit it or not, our favorite holiday definitely helped sell cancer sticks.
Halloween Horror Haiku 
I don’t particularly remember any of the seasonal cigarette ads. What I *do* remember is that Benson & Hedges would have a sweepstakes every year. In keeping with the “100” theme, there were 100 separate sweepstakes you could enter – all with prizes that had something to do with “100”. Like 100 minutes on a gondola in Venice, a 100 ounce crystal punchbowl and cups, or 100 pints of ice cream (and a freezer to store them). I had some fun fantasizing about winning each of the prizes….
(The Countdown to Halloween sent me)
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