I've decided to do some research and I peeped the Newport article on wikipedia.com. Here it says, Newport were introduced in 1957 by the Lorillard Tobacco Company or L.T.C. After 54 years, Newport's are one of the most popular menthol brands in the country as they comprise approximately 35% of all menthol sales in the US. Newports have taken such a stranglehold on the African-American market that a 2005 survey states that 49.5% of all cigarettes purchased by blacks are Newport.
The numbers don't lie now, do they? But it still doesn't explain (at least to me) why it has become the most popular choice among our generation. As I kept reading on, the article stated that in the late 1950's, the L.T.C. allegedly sent their company vans on a regular basis to housing projects to hand out free packs of Newport to children. Also, in the '80s, Newport drew up an advertising campaign aimed at African-Americans in urban areas. Two years later, Newport is the 5th most popular brand on the Market. The percentage of teens who smoke Newports doubled between 1989-1996 and its most significant progress with Hispanic and White Americans occurred during the same period. All of this information, plus the fact that Newports have the highest concentration level of nicotine in their cigarettes, is mindboggling.
I started smoking when I was 15 years old in 1998. I was going to Lehman High in the Bronx and I was about to play guitar in a music show at school. I was sooooooo nervous and about 15 minutes before I was supposed to hit the stage I decided to go outside for some fresh air. So, I'm outside, pacing, palms sweating and looking like my grandma died when a senior in one of my classes stepped up to me and asked me if everything was cool. I told him I had a case of the nerves and he gave me one of those looks and said "It happens to the best of us. Have one of these." He pulls out his pack of Marlboro Reds and hands me one. The peer pressure kicked in and I lit it up. I didn't know any better at the time and it did take my nerves away. After that, I started stealing my dad's Newports since he just left them lying around the house. It was easy and after awhile, I noticed they tasted way better than the non-menthol shit I'd been smoking at school. Soon after, I started buying my own packs and addiction kicked in. I'm still smoking them to this day.
The story of how I became a smoker doesn't answer any questions about why "we" as a generation chose this brand, and I can't find a concrete answer anywhere. All I know is, after a large meal, I reach for a Newport. I'm stressed out, Newport. Have some really good sex, Newport. After a fat blunt of exotic weed, what do we light? A Newport. A couple of shots at the bar, I'm outside freezing my ass off with a Newport in my hand.
But why? Is it the subliminal marketing scheme? I know everyone has seen the upside-down Nike swoosh on the packs. Do Newports make us run faster and jump higher? Is it that the box is the color of money? Everyone knows we're drawn to money. Is it because we've seen our parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents etc. smoking them and therefore it was more familiar to us than any other brand? Nobody knows.
I conducted a social experiment the other night and I can say the results are quite amusing. One of my co-workers smokes Camels and he was about to toss his empty pack away. I took it from him and transferred my cigarettes into the Camel box and headed to the Yippie for SCRiBE's open mic night. (If you haven't seen it, you should definitely go. 9 Bleecker St. Every Thursday at 6pm.) I step outside for a cigarette and some people walk up to me and ask for a cigarette. As soon as they see the Camel box they just say "forget it" and look for something else. That happened 4 out of 5 times I was asked or 80%.
At the end of the day, we all have our own choice on what we smoke. (If we choose to even smoke in the first place. I give props to all of you non-smokers.) I just find it funny that we've been stereotyped in a way that we are expected to smoke Newport just like Cowboys are expected to smoke Marlboro. I guess the question of "Why do "we" (Blacks, Latinos, and Whites in an urban setting) smoke Newports?" will never be answered. I have a feeling it will be one of those urban myths that will never be answered.
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Peace
