According to a 1968 Customs & Excise briefing paper, which discussed dropping a proposed cigarette advertising bill from the legislative programme, tobacco taxes were worth more than 拢1bn at the time to Wilson's cash-strapped Labour government.
The paper warned that banning cigarette coupons and advertising could endanger Labour's intention to raise 拢30m that year from tobacco duty and adversely affect the UK economy.
The Wilson government was best remembered for its deteriorating relations with the unions and the government's dithering over devaluation of the pound, which came in 1967 accompanied by sharp deflation and public spending cuts. It was also remembered for Wilson's vision to spur British technology firms in his "White heat of technology" speech.
The officials were aware that the government was struggling to stop cigarette advertising. Instead, Chancellor Roy Jenkins put up tax by an extra two old pence on the price of a packet of cigarettes and warned the public of a "lack of buoyancy" in revenues.
Earlier attempts to cut back the nation's smoking included suggestions that the BBC and Independent Television Authority ensured that fictional characters who appealed to the public were always non-smokers and those who did not appeal were chain-smokers.
The issue continued to raise its head during Edward Heath's Conservative government, which came to power in 1970 when Wilson was defeated after six years in power. A letter dated 1972 showed the prime minister had over-ruled plans to ban tobacco advertising by the social services secretary.
Instead, it has taken until February this year for all UK publications, billboards and websites to be banned from carrying tobacco advertising.
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