Big Tobacco Intentionally Misled the Public About the Hazards of Smoking

In a U.S. Federal Court ruling yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Gladys E. Kessler found the tobacco industry guilty of conspiring to break anti-racketeering laws for decades - downplaying the hazards of smoking to the public in an effort to pad their pockets.

Unfortunately, due to a previous federal appeals court ruling, Judge Kessler was unable to order tobacco companies to pay the $14 billion federal prosecutors were asking for in order to fund anti-smoking campaigns around the country. She did, however, order cigarette makers to make "corrective statements" about the dangers of smoking, including:

• No more misleading statements about the health risks of smoking, meaning they may not use words like "low-tar", "ultra-light", "mild" and "natural" which might lead consumers to think they are reducing smoking-related risks by using these products over others.
• Issue "corrective statements" that accurately detail the health consequences of smoking. Each tobacco company must submit a proposal within 60 days to the court reflecting the exact wording they intend to use.
• Develop indexed and searchable Web sites that house tobacco company employee documents that were submitted to prosecutors detailing the health hazards of smoking.

Related:

• The List of Additives in Cigarettes
• Second Hand Smoke Facts
• Are Light Cigarettes Less of a Health Risk for Smokers?