Tobacco Companies, Government Reach Agreement on Point-of-Sale Warnings

Tobacco Point-Of-Sale Warnings Case Overview: 

• Who: The U.S. government and tobacco companies, including Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds, have come to an agreement on point-of-sale warnings for tobacco sales. 
• Why: The government and tobacco companies have been working to come to an agreement on if/how stores should warn customers about the adverse health effects of tobacco products. 
• Where: The case is being settled in a District of Columbia federal court. 

The U.S. government and tobacco companies told a D.C. federal judge on Tuesday that they have come to an agreement on point-of-sale warnings for tobacco sales. 

The agreement between the tobacco companies, which includes Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds, is in regard to adverse health effect warnings to be displayed in stores that sell their tobacco products. 

The settlement includes details such as how the health warnings, including those in Spanish, should be designed and where they should be placed in store locations. 

The proposed settlement also goes over consequences in the absence of compliance with the newly agreed upon regulations. 

Feds, Tobacco Companies Working With Retailers On Agreement

Tobacco companies and the government say they are currently working on questions such as whether retailers should be notified of the settlement so they are given a chance to respond with any concerns, according to the joint motion. 

Further, the government and the tobacco companies say they are working with retailers to “reduce the agreement in principle into a proposed consent decree that complies with the requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65.” 

The tobacco companies and the government, which has asked for the court’s input, say they are also working to determine “how to maintain a trial schedule if settlement is ultimately not possible.” 

The duo previously reached an agreement in 2018 over the language to be used for corrective statements on the packaging for tobacco products and on websites, Law360 reports.

Last year, a federal judge denied Philip Morris’ request to block new U.S. Food and Drug Regulation health warning label requirements for cigarette packaging. 

Do you agree that stores should warn customers about the dangers of the tobacco products they sell? Let us know in the comments! 

The government is represented by James Nelson, Zachary A. Dietert, Meredith B. Healy and Adam E. Lyons of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Division.

The Tobacco Point-Of-Sale Warnings Case is U.S. v. Philip Morris USA Inc., et al., Case No. 1:99-cv-02496, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

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