THE two largest tobacco companies in the United States voluntarily stopped advertising cigarettes in magazines, with Philip Morris, whose brands include Marlboro, ceasing in 2005 and R. J. Reynolds, whose brands include Camel, at the beginning of 2008.

Now the Camel logo is back prominently in major glossies, including Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated and Maxim  but not to advertise cigarettes. R. J. Reynolds is advertising Camel Snus, a tobacco packet that wedges in the upper lip and, unlike chewing tobacco, is promoted as “spitless” because low salt content spares users the unpleasantness of public expectoration. Although snus is popular in Sweden, this is the first time it has been marketed in the United States by a major American tobacco company.

The campaign, by Quaker City Mercantile in Philadelphia, pitches Camel Snus (pronounced snoose) as a way around smoking bans. The ads cater to specific magazine audiences, with a recent issue of Rolling Stone promoting snus as “sweaty outdoor festival friendly” and one in Sports Illustrated declaring it “extra inning friendly.” Others call snus “your flight just got canceled friendly,” “ridiculously long conference call friendly” and “fancy hotel friendly.”

David Howard, an R. J. Reynolds spokesman, said that the company had not reversed its magazine policy, but that this was a Camel of another color.