Pubdate: Wed, 19 Nov 2003
Source: Western Mail (UK)
Copyright: Trinity Mirror Plc 2003
Contact:  http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2598

RIZLA AD BANNED OVER DRUG REFERENCE

A promotion for cigarette papers has been banned by the advertising 
watchdog because it could be seen as condoning the use of cannabis. The 
advert had the words "Twist and" above a packet of Rizla papers with a turn 
at one end and "burn" on one side.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) carried out an investigation 
after receiving a complaint from a rival manufacturer who claimed the 
promotion "condoned the product's use for the consumption of illegal 
drugs". It found that, in some dictionaries, "twist" was a slang term for a 
cannabis cigarette and "burn" could be a reference to smoking one. It added 
that it understood cannabis cigarettes were normally fatter than those 
filled with tobacco and twisted at one end to prevent the contents falling 
out. Imperial Tobacco, makers of Rizla, said "twist and burn" was a phrase 
commonly used by motorcyclists and meant turning the bike's throttle and 
"burning rubber" along a road.

Although the company said it was aware "a minority" used Rizlas with soft 
drugs, it said "it was not its intended purpose" and it "did not condone 
that use". The watchdog concluded the wording in the advert and the twisted 
packet "were likely to be seen by many readers as an allusion to the 
culture of cannabis use". It accepted the advert had been approved by the 
advertising industry's vetting body but told Imperial Tobacco not to use 
the same promotion in the future.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart