Tobacco company launches campaign CHAIRMAN of the West Indian Tobacco company Anthony E Phillip has called for a change in the legislation regarding the sale of Cigarettes to minors. Responding to a stakeholder's enquiry as to what the company was doing to prevent the sale of Cigarettes to children under the age of 18, Phillip stated that the company had long been against the practice and had been lobbying for laws to be put in place to prohibit the sale of Cigarettes to minors. "We hope that a change in legislation will be swift," said Phillip at the company's annual general meeting at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain, on Thursday. Phillip added that the company had started the "Can't vote, Don't smoke" advertising campaign within the last year and also stopping advertising in media that may be available to children. "We recognise that we are in controversial industry but we don't encourage the sale of Cigarettes to minors," said Phillip. The company had also started referring individuals addicted to Cigarettes who wished to stop to the Ministry of Health, so they could receive assistance and advice to recover from their addiction. The chairman also assuRed that the group that they would monitor the sale of RBTT to the Royal Bank of Canada and decide whether to change their arrangements with the bank if necessary. The company recorded an after-tax profit of $157 million for 2007, an increase of 9.2 per cent over 2006. Shareholders will receive a dividend of $1.86 per share. Peter Christopher pchristopher@trinidadexpress.com