Big Tobacco Lawsuit

Photo of a woman breaking a cigarette in half

In 2006, the American Cancer Society and other plaintiffs won a major court case against Big Tobacco. Judge Gladys Kessler found tobacco companies guilty of lying to the American public about the deadly effects of cigarettes and secondhand smoke.
 
Tobacco companies are required to run an extensive television and newspaper advertising campaign, at their own expense, admitting the truth about their products.
 
The court case and this advertising campaign are a major victory for the American Cancer Society, ACS CAN and all Americans.

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Starting July 1, Tobacco Companies Must Post Signs About Health Risks of Smoking at About 220,000 Stores Across U.S.

June 30, 2023
National

Statement of the American Cancer Society, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, The Center for Black Health & Equity (formerly the National African American Tobacco Prevention Network) and the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund (public health intervenors in the case)

Cancer Advocates Urge New York to Use JUUL Settlement Dollars to Fund Prevention and Cessation Programs

April 12, 2023
New York

ALBANY, NY – APRIL 12, 2023 – Earlier today, JUUL announced it will pay $462 million to settle a multi-state investigation into its underage marketing practices to attract young consumers to its addictive e-cigarettes. This settlement is evidence that JUUL intentionally preyed upon young consumers with the sole goal of

Big Tobacco, Guilty of Deceiving the American Public, Forced to Tell the Truth About Their Deadly Products Near Product Displays

May 4, 2022

Big Tobacco, an industry which has for decades addicted and endangered the lives of millions of Americans for their own profit, will finally have to post the truth about their deception and their deadly products where they are sold.

FDA Announces Intention to Prohibit Menthol Flavoring in Cigarettes and All Flavors in Cigars

April 29, 2021

WASHINGTON D.C. – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that it will prohibit menthol cigarettes and all flavors in cigars. Ending menthol flavoring in cigarettes and all flavors in cigars is a long overdue step forward in reducing youth tobacco initiation, helping adults quit and reducing tobacco-related

Big Tobacco Lawsuit Resources

23 Year History of the Racketeering Lawsuit Against the Tobacco Industry: Guilty of Deceiving the American Public

June 29, 2023

In 1999, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against major tobacco manufacturers Philip Morris USA, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, Lorillard, and Altria to hold the industry accountable for more than 50 years of conspiring to defraud the public in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Big Tobacco, an industry which has for decades knowingly addicted and endangered the lives of millions of Americans for their own profit, must now post the truth about their deadly products, including at the point-of-sale (POS) for approximately 220,000 tobacco retailers.