Judge Blocks Graphic Cigarette Warnings

[Ringel05]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal judge blocked a rule requiring tobacco companies to display graphic images on cigarette packs, such as a man exhaling cigarette smoke through a hole in his throat.
District Judge Richard Leon sided on Monday with tobacco companies and granted a temporary injunction, saying they would likely prevail in their lawsuit challenging the requirement as unconstitutional because it compels speech in violation of the First Amendment.

The Food and Drug Administration in June released nine new warnings to go into effect in September of 2012, the first change in U.S. cigarette warning labels in 25 years. Cigarette packs already carry text warnings from the U.S. Surgeon Genera

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2011/11/07/us/life-us-fda-tobacco.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

 

[alan1]

Well, it's not like they have pictures of amputee diabetics on candy or sugary soda.

 

[whitehall]

Here's the deal, the federal government probably has the power to outlaw the sale of tobacco products but as long as tobacco is legal federal agencies do not have the right to force obscene advertising regulations. Why not force high end shoe companies to show graphic foot deformities in their ads? This is fun, pick a product. How about forcing peanut products to show kids who died from allergies? Belt ads to feature people who hanged themselves?