Charlie “The Smoking Chimp” passed away recently at a South African Zoo. How many hilariously entertaining apes have to die before we ban tobacco companies from marketing to primates?
As the world’s human smoking population has shrunk corporations have been spending more and more advertising dollars pushing their products to other mammals. The companies have defended themselves by stating that they only target adult animals and have steered clear of all hatchlings, cubs and pups. They also claim that they have only focused on animals that have exhibited evidence of higher learning like elephants and dolphins; though they admit that due to the dolphin’s aqueous habitat their attempts to win over that specific customer base have proved utterly unsuccessful.
Most recently R.J. Reynolds has been taking heat for using a smooth-talking, cartoon Bonobo as their cigarette spokesperson.
