Spitzer Applauds Court Decision In Rj Reynolds Tobacco Advertising Case

New York Attorney General Spitzer applauded the decision of California Superior Court Judge Ronald Prager, issued today, finding that the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company ("RJR") had targeted youth by its placement of cigarette advertisements in magazines with high levels of teenage readership. Judge Prager found that RJR had violated the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, imposed $20 million in sanctions, and enjoined RJR from further targeting youth.

The case was brought and led by the California Attorney General's office, but was a multi-state effort, with attorneys from the New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania Attorneys General Offices all working with California on the case.

"This is a great victory," said Attorney General Spitzer. "R.J. Reynolds had agreed in 1998 to stop targeting youth, but nevertheless continued to place ads in magazines with very high levels of youth readership. This decision will prevent that from happening in the future and thus help to substantially reduce the number of cigarette ads to which children are exposed."


sitemap Intergov foil PressOffice RegionalOffices SolicitorGeneral AppealsandOpinions ConvictionBureau Investigations TaxpayerProtection PublicIntegrity MFCU OCTF CrimPros AIFU Antitrust ConsumerFrauds Internet InvestorProtection RealEstateFinance Charities CivilRights Environment HealthCare Labor Tobacco CivilRecoveries Claims Litigation RealProperty SOMB Budget LegalRecruitment Human Resources Bureau