Strathclyde University says its research was at the heart of the ban on tobacco advertising that comes into force today. Its Centre for Social Marketing established a link between tobacco advertising and youth smoking, as well as identifying "brand stretching", the practice of placing tobacco brands on non-tobacco products. Gerard Hastings, director of CSM and the Centre for Tobacco Control Research, said: "CSM research has underpinned a groundbreaking new law that the Department of Health calculates will save 3,000 lives a year."