A new study conducted by the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program indicates that the nation's leading tobacco manufacturer, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co., is aggressively targeting children in its advertisements. According to the study, the company has nearly tripled its magazine advertising spending in the last five years with most ads appearing in publications that have a substantial number of young readers.

Lawmakers say U.S. Smokeless, which makes tobacco brands Skoal and Copenhagen, is violating a 1998 legal settlement in which the company was banned from "targeting youths within any settling states." Health officials involved in the study fear ad placements in magazines such as Sports Illustrated, Motor Trend and Hot Rod cause young readers to associate snuff with glamorous sporting events.