1930s cigarette advert. This is an advert for Primerose cigarettes, dating from 1931. Primerose was a French brand of cigarettes. The widespread cultivation and smoking of tobacco dates from the 17th century. Advertising of cigarettes began to be restricted in the 1960s, with specific measures to remove the glamour from adverts. In the 21st century, cigarette advertising is heavily regulated and banned in many places, with signs on cigarette packets warning of the adverse health effects of smoking. Artwork by Maurice Ponty.