Adelaide, Australia cigarettes are being sold at high-end clothing stores and hair salons.

December 18, 2008 - CIGARETTES are being sold at high-end clothing stores and hair salons, in a "tricky and desperate" tactic to lure new young smokers.

A Sunday Mail investigation has discovered smoke company Imperial Tobacco is lavishing trendy Adelaide stores with cash incentives (CASH incentives of up to $2000 a year are offered to stores agreeing to sell cigarettes.)and corporate entertainment (BOOZY lunches and even a swish cruise have been held for businesses which sell the brand.) in return for stocking Peter Stuyvesant brand cigarettes in specially designed cigarette dispensers.

Marketing kits distributed by the tobacco giant to fashion retailers describe cigarettes as being safe and fashionable: "It used to be extremely dangerous. Now the only danger is you're not the coolest cat on the block." (SMOKING is promoted as safe and cool in literature given to targeted fashion outlets, FREE cigarettes are handed out to stockists.)

The activities has prompted calls for a State Government crackdown to ban the practice. Tobacco companies are constantly trying new ways to recruit new smokers. How about this one: In South Africa BAT Marketing Tobacco Products Using Text Messaging..

Reference: Imperial Tobacco offers cash incentives for fashion outlets to sell Peter Stuyvesant cigarettes, by Sam Kelton, The Australian, 12/14/2008.