Can ban on tobacco advertisement reduce tobacco consumption?

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Hundreds and thousands of people are dying every year from illnesses directly related to smoking according to health experts worldwide. The governments believe that an advertising ban could reduce tobacco consumption in the longer term by several percentages, which would translate into a large number of lives per year saved. The advertisement of tobacco increases the consumption of tobacco and hence increases the addiction, disease and premature death associated with tobacco use. But tobacco companies argue that tobacco advertisement merely switches existing consumers from one brand to another with no increase in total consumption. They also argue that a ban on tobacco advertisement is an invasion of 'commercial freedom of speech' and they should have the right to advertise it. They further argue that its promotion does not increase consumption or encourage people to take up smoking. The legal status of tobacco means that a person making, selling or using tobacco products is not committing an offence. Do you agree? What's your opinion?