Big Tobacco Posts Warning Signs at 220,000 US Stores, Wrapping Up Ongoing Lawsuit Since 1999

The largest tobacco manufacturers will be required to prominently display warning signs about the dangers of cigarette smoking in over 200,000 stores across America startinon July 1, 2023. This was revealed by a representative from a consortium of anti-smoking groups, which marks the final major milestone in a lawsuit initiated by the Justice Department against Big Tobacco in 1999.

Between July 1 and September 30, the warning signs will be installed in stores and must remain on display until June 30, 2025. The signs, which will be in English and Spanish in regions with a significant Spanish-speaking population, include 17 distinctive statements that were “specified by the court many years ago.”

One example of a corrective sign features a prominent asterisk icon with the statement, “Smoking kills, on average, 1,200 Americans. Every day.” The signs will have a size of either 144 or 348 square inches and will be positioned in highly visible areas of the stores.

This final step follows years of legal dispute that originated from US District Court Judge Gladys Kessler’s ruling in 2006, which initially mandated the tobacco companies to issue the corrective statements. In that landmark decision, the industry defendants were found guilty of deceiving the public about the health risks associated with smoking and secondhand smoke.

“After 16 years of legal battles, the tobacco companies have finally accepted the requirement to display these corrective statements at point-of-sale,” stated a spokesperson from the public health advocates. An agreement was reached last year to implement the warning signs.

The content of the corrective statements was finalized in 2017 and has already been disseminated through various media platforms.

In her final opinion, Judge Kessler expressed, “The defendants lied about the devastating health effects of smoking and environmental tobacco smoke, suppressed research, destroyed documents, manipulated nicotine use to foster addiction, distorted the truth about low tar and light cigarettes to discourage quitting, and abused the legal system to prioritize profits over public health.” Her words encapsulated the gravity of the tobacco industry’s misconduct.

Altria, one of the defendants, stated that it is transitioning adult smokers to “potentially less harmful products.” A spokesperson for the company commented, “This represents one of the final steps to resolve a longstanding lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice.”

R.J. Reynolds, another defendant, highlighted that the corrective statement signs have been present on its website and previously appeared in newspapers, television, radio, and pack inserts.

“While this lawsuit was filed nearly 25 years ago in 1999, the tobacco industry has undergone significant changes,” emphasized a spokesperson from Reynolds American Inc. “Today, our company and its subsidiaries are committed to building ‘A Better Tomorrow’ by reducing the health impact of our business,” they added, referring to the sale of “potentially-reduced risk” nicotine and tobacco products. However, it’s important to note that vaping has been linked to an increased risk of respiratory diseases.