Tobacco firms’ ads will declare deception

Major tobacco companies in the US must take out ads saying they deliberately deceived the US public about the danger and addictiveness of cigarettes, a federal judge ruled last night.

The ruling in the US district court for the District of Columbia aims to finalise the wording of the advertisements that the judge first ordered in 2006 after finding the companies violated federal racketeering law. Tobacco companies fought a public admission of deception, calling it a violation of their free speech rights.

US district judge Gladys Kessler rejected the companies’ position, finding that the final wording — which the companies and the US Justice Department have fought over for years — is factual and not controversial. There are five statements the companies will be required to advertise.

One of them begins: “A federal court has ruled that the defendant tobacco companies deliberately deceived the American public by falsely selling and advertising low tar and light cigarettes as less harmful than regular cigarettes.”

The advertisements will be placed in media that are still to be determined, and they will be different from the warning labels already are on tobacco products.