'Kool Mixx' Cigarette Campaign to Be Cut Back

The maker of Kool cigarettes agreed to scale back its "Kool Mixx" hip-hop-themed marketing campaign and pay $1.46 million for anti-smoking programs to settle lawsuits claiming that it was aimed at black youths. Attorneys general from Maryland, New York and Illinois sued Brown & Williamson Tobacco, which has since merged with R.J. Reynolds, alleging that the campaign violated the 1998 settlement with tobacco companies, which forbids marketing to young people. The six-year-old "Kool Mixx" promotional program has recently included the nationwide distribution of CD-ROMs with hip-hop music, cigarette packs with hip-hop designs and a "House of Menthol" Web site, state officials said. [more ]