Sydney  - The Australian government said Thursday it will investigate reports that tobacco companies are using internet social networking sites like Facebook to hook smokers.

Online fan clubs and unofficial product pages endorsing Marlboro, Benson and Hedges and Lucky Strike are now appearing on internet social networks, with links posted to the product's website.

There are 3,797 members of the Marlboro business consumer group on Facebook which says "u choose the best to be the best". It appears to have been set up in Jordan. One so-called "friend" wrote about the advantages of smoking.

University of Sydney PhD student Becky Freeman told the Oceania Tobacco Control Conference in Darwin that tobacco companies were using online marketing strategies to get around restrictions on print and television advertising.

"Were those groups started up by the manufacturers of those brands or were they simply started up by fans of those products?" Freeman said.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon said she was concerned tobacco firms were getting around advertising restrictions and ordered officials to investigate whether tobacco companies were involved in the "fan groups."

"I don't think it's good form for tobacco companies to be out trying to hook young people onto tobacco when we know the harm that it causes," Roxon said.

Cancer Council Australia's chief executive Professor Ian Olver said young people were increasingly taking their cues from online messaging.

"Monitoring the volume and impact of online health messaging and looking at the potential to regulate alternative forms of advertising being employed by the tobacco industry must be a priority," Olver said.

Tobacco companies have denied officially setting up Facebook and Myspace pages. (dpa)