On November 27, 2012, a federal judge ordered tobacco companies Phillip Morris USA, RJ Reynolds Tobacco, and Lorillard Tobacco, to publish corrective advertising statements that (i) say a federal court found that they lied about the dangers of smoking and (ii) disclose negative facts about smoking, including about smoking’s negative health effects; the addictiveness of smoking; the lack of significant health benefits from cigarettes marked “low tar,” “light” and similar words; the cigarette companies’ manipulation of cigarette design and composition to ensure optimum nicotine delivery; and the adverse health effects of secondhand smoke. The court also found that the corrective advertising did not violate the First Amendment because the statements ordered are purely factual and uncontroversial, and are directed at preventing and restraining the defendants from deceiving the American public in the future.
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