A federal judge in Washington has ruled that tobacco companies must implement five different adverts to portray their deceptions about smoking. The adverts should highlight the dangers of smoking which the judge feels tobacco companies have previously tried to hide. The companies have been found guilty of ‘deliberately deceiving the American public about the health effects of smoking’ and for not highlighting that passive smoke kills around 3,000 Americans a year.
Then ruling states that not only packs of cigarettes should contain warnings but that these should also be present in advertisements and on the companies’ websites. ‘This court has heeded its mandate to fashion corrective statements that are purely factual and uncontroversial and are directed at preventing and restraining the defendants from deceiving the American public.’ Judge Kesser explained.
This is not the first or indeed last case involving tobacco companies and their advertising tactics. Although bans are in place in many countries it has also been recently that these have become tougher with restrictions on the selling of cigarettes. In the United Kingdom traditional cigarettes are no longer in view of the general public but placed behind opaque metal screens and smokers are required to ask for their desired packets.
On the other hand the increased awareness of electronic cigarettes is on the up with regular posters and dedicated websites describing the benefits of switching from traditional cigarettes to electronic, alongside selling various flavours and different sized cigarettes and styles.
Nicolites is the UK’s leader in electronic cigarettes and brings smoke, tar and toxin free electronic cigarettes to consumers. Managing Director, Nikhil Nathwani commented on the recent ruling, ‘Here in the UK tobacco advertisement has been banned for many years and we are all aware of the harmful effects of smoking traditional cigarettes. In America tobacco companies have been found to not be so transparent about the harmful effects. Making the change to electronic cigarettes could be a great choice for anyone attempting to quit or simply receive their nicotine hit but not any of the cancer causing chemicals. We hope that as more and more people become aware of the consequences of smoking throughout the world, many will be provoked to make the move over to electronic cigarettes.’
Whether such legislation will be enforced in the United Kingdom is unknown, but what I am sure of is the increasing difficulty to purchase cigarettes and feeling that smoking is unacceptable in society.
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- License: Royalty Free or iStock source:sxc.hu
Nicolites is the UK leader in electronic cigarettes.
