Cigarette Ad Shock

What is happening to our Santa Barbara Independent? I was shocked to see a full page ad for Camel Gold cigarettes on page 38 of the current 7/21/22 issue. How can you possibly accept an advertisement for a product known to cause addiction and cancer, leading to lung cancer which makes up 25 percent of cancers in the U.S. and is the leading cause of cancer death in the nation, to say nothing of all the other terrible health consequences caused by cigarettes including heart and circulation disease and premature age of deaths.

We expect more from the Independent, previously trusted as our community news source, and hope this was a temporary oversight that will not be repeated.