Health warnings on cigarette packs will no longer be enough for cigarettes sold in US retails stores.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced a court order 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, DOJ said the court order “resolves the government’s long-running civil racketeering lawsuit against the largest United States’ cigarette companies.”
In 1999, the lawsuit was filed in US District Court in Washington, D.C. The trial took place in 2004-2005, and the courts determined that the companies defrauded consumers about the dangers associated with smoking.
Although the court case ended in 2005, the recent court order imposed is what DOJ says is the last of several corrective remedies ordered because of that case.
The court order applies to Altria, Philip Morris USA Inc., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, and four cigarette brands owned by ITG Brands LLC.
The statements are to be placed on color signs, according to the order, and designed to be eye-catching. For example, one of the messages reads, “Smoking cigarettes causes numerous diseases and on average 1,200 American deaths every day.”
The order goes into effect on July 1, 2023, at which point the companies will have three months to post the statements. The retailers will then be required to display the signs for 21 months, in English and Spanish, though the latter will be required in areas with large Spanish-speaking populations.