The US Department of Justice announced a court order on Tuesday requiring major cigarette companies to display signs in retail stores with corrective statements about the health effects and addictive nature of cigarettes.
In a press release Tuesday, the Justice Department said the injunction “resolves the government’s longstanding civil racketeering lawsuit against the largest cigarette companies in the United States.”
Major cigarette companies will be required to display signs in stores about the health effects of their products.
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In 1999, the lawsuit was filed in the US District Court in Washington, DC. The trial took place between 2004 and 2005, with the courts finding that the companies misled consumers about the dangers associated with smoking.
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Although the court case ended in 2005, Tuesday’s court order imposed what the Justice Department says is the latest of several remedial remedies ordered because of that case.
The injunction applies to Altria, Philip Morris USA Inc., RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company and four cigarette brands owned by ITG Brands LLC.
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“Justice Department attorneys have worked diligently for more than 20 years to hold tobacco companies accountable that defrauded consumers about the health risks of smoking,” said Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Today’s resolution implements the last remedy in this litigation to ensure that consumers are aware of the true dangers of the smoking products they may consider purchasing.”
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An estimated 200,000 of the 300,000 US retailers that sell cigarettes have agreements with tobacco companies, allowing them to control how cigarettes are displayed in stores.
The order issued Tuesday requires companies to amend their agreements with stores to require corrective statements to be posted in stores.
Statements should be placed on colored signs, in order, and should be designed to attract attention.
The US Department of Justice is requiring major cigarette companies to display signs in stores about the health effects of cigarettes.
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Some of the messages include the adverse health effects of smoking; addictive nature of nicotine; and the adverse health effects of secondhand smoke.
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For example, one of the messages reads: “Cigarette smoking causes numerous diseases and, on average, 1,200 deaths in Americans every day.”
The order goes into effect on July 1, 2023, at which time companies will have three months to release the statements. Retailers will then be required to display the signs for 21 months, in English and Spanish, although the latter will be required in areas with large Spanish-speaking populations.
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“This is an important moment in the history of cancer control in the United States,” said William Klein Associate Director of the National Cancer Institute’s Behavioral Research program. “Smoking causes about 30% of all cancer deaths in the United States, and therefore court-ordered remedial statements that appear at the point of sale for cigarettes will help support our mission to reduce the burden of cancer.” We are grateful to our colleagues at the Department of Justice for completing this important work.”
