Tobacco Industry

Misleading cigarette marketing: the ‘light’ and ‘mild’ deception

In 1976, Canadian tobacco companies began introducing so-called ‘light’ or ‘mild’ brands. Heavy advertising attracted consumers with promises of full “taste” or “satisfaction” with “low tar”. The industry’s marketing intent was clear: these new brands were pitched at smokers who were worried about the damage cigarettes were doing to their health, but who were...

Imperial Tobacco, Imasco, and the Smuggling of Cigarettes into Canada

Introduction On Dec. 21st, 1999, the Canadian federal government announced that it had filed a civil suit, under the United States Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute, against Canada’s No. 3 cigarette company, RJR-Macdonald (now JTI-Macdonald), the Canadian Tobacco Manufacturers’ Council (CTMC), the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and various related companies. This suit stems from allegations...