International Trade: Advertising and Promoting U.S. Cigarettes in Selected Asian Countries

Pursuant to congressional requests, GAO reviewed the advertisement and promotion of U.S. cigarettes in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Indonesia, focusing on: (1) the conflicting U.S. government policies of pursuing antismoking initiatives domestically while assisting U.S. cigarette companies in selling their products abroad; (2) U.S. government regulation of cigarette exports compared with exports of other potentially harmful products; (3) the restrictions on cigarette advertising and promotion imposed in the countries; and (4) the advertising and promotional practices of U.S. cigarette companies in these countries.