Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL HomeHawaii Leaders Outraged Over New Cigarette Brand
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HONOLULU (AP) - State officials from Kauai Mayor Bryan Baptiste to Governor Lingle are condemning ads for a new Camel cigarette featuring a hula girl and promoting a flavor called "Kauai Kolada."
The governor says using the name of Kauai and Hawaii images to market cigarettes is -- quote -- "disgusting."
A spokeswoman for tobacco company RJ Reynolds says the new flavor is part of Camel's summer blends series and will be discontinued after the season.
Spokeswoman Ellen Wallace says the company didn't mean to offend Hawaii residents and adds that the company is simply marketing a legal product to adult consumers.
An official with the anti-smoking group Tobacco-Free Kauai says the new campaign is offensive to Kauai residents and culturally insensitive to native Hawaiians and people who practice the ancient dance of hula.
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