In this episode, we’re talking about the corrective statement signs that tobacco companies are currently being required to post at the point of sale. These signs are part of the results of a court case decision from 2006 that convicted major tobacco companies of racketeering – for a decades-long conspiracy to deliberately mislead the public about the health risks of smoking and secondhand smoke and about the addictiveness of their deadly products. We'll cover  some background on what led to this requirement, what the requirements really are, and how tobacco prevention and control advocates can use this as an opportunity to work toward change. 

Notes: 

• Read the full text of these court-ordered corrective statements and see images of all 17 point-of-sale signs.
• Read Judge Kessler's final opinion and the court order
• History of the case:
• • 23 Year History of the Racketeering Lawsuit Against the Tobacco Industry: Guilty of Deceiving the American Public, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
  • United States vs. Philip Morris (1999), Public Health Law Center
  • Timeline: United States v. Philip Morris USA Inc., et al., Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
  • U.S. Racketeering Verdict: Big Tobacco Guilty as Charged, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids 
  • Department of Justice Lawsuit Against the Tobacco Industry, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
• More on the corrective statements at the point of sale:

o   Starting July 1, Tobacco Companies Must Post Signs About Health Risks of Smoking at About 220,000 Stores Across U.S. – Signs Stem from 2006 Racketeering Verdict Against Companies, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids 

• Media campaign: "Tobacco Stops With Me" Corrective Statement Media Campaign, Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Fund (TSET)