It is hereby declared to be the legislative intent to encourage fair and honest competition, and to safeguard the public against unfair, dishonest, deceptive, destructive, and fraudulent business practices existing in transactions involving the sale of, offer to sell, or inducement to sell, cigarettes in the wholesale and retail trades in this state. It is further declared that the advertising, offering for sale, or sale of cigarettes below cost in the wholesale or retail trades with the intent of injuring competitors or destroying or substantially lessening competition, is an unfair and deceptive trade practice. The policy of the state is to promote the general welfare through the prohibition of such sales, the purpose of the Unfair Cigarette Sales Law being to carry out that policy in the public interest.