Strong cigarettes

December 24, 2007

Seven‐year court war against the biggest cigarettes producers in USA is concluded with the victory of smoking opponents. Circuit court of Washington obliged tobacco giants such as Philip Morris, British American Tobacco, Liggett and Lorillard Tobacco to stop tempting local smokers with lights and soft cigarettes beginning from 2007.

It means that since the 1st of January such cigarettes sorts as low tar, light, ultra light, mild and natural are out of law in USA. As BBC reported the court found tobacco producers guilty in collusion with the aim of providing smokers with false information about hazardous effect of smoking. Besides, cigarettes producers now have to make excuses publicly in Sunday publications of national editions and in their Web sites. Tobacco companies have to launch their own anti advertising campaign: corrective information about hazard of smoking should be placed at cigarettes packs. Light cigarettes appeared in USA as the propaganda of more healthy smoking in 60s. Today American Tobacco corporations apply this marking to denote cigarettes with law tar content.

USA minister did not manage to pick up compensation to the sum of $280 billion for the financing of anti smoking campaign. Thus material costs of tobacco producers came to law expenses payment at the sum of $135 million. However it did not prevent cigarettes opponents from celebrating of victory: the matter is that the ban of light and soft sorts blocked the whole structure of tobacco sales. However, the decision of Washington court was applied only to USA: in Europe for example for the indication of various cigarettes strength color marking is applied.