In August of 2006, a federal judge ruled that the tobacco industry had actually engaged in racketeering practices, stating that the industry had been engaged in a decades-long conspiracy to cover up the dangers of smoking from their users. Tobacco companies were actually ordered to take out newspaper adverts detailing smoking health effects.

The judge stated that the conspiracy had dated back to 1953, when a group of tobacco companies met together at the Plaza Hotel in New York City and came up with a public relations plan to counter health concerns connected with smoking. The judge also ruled that even after the 1964 Surgeon General’s report linked smoking to lung cancer, tobacco companies continued to deny and intentionally distort many serious dangers of smoking their products.

It was also found that the tobacco industry marketed cigarettes to youth groups; that even though the industry claims it does not want children to smoke, the companies were caught tracking youth activities and preferences, thereby ensuring that “marketing and promotion reaches the youth,” even hiding from them the serious dangers of smoking while their young bodies were still growing.

The industry was also faulted for denying publicly that second-hand smoke is dangerous, the judge citing inside acknowledgement that this was indeed the case.

In 1999, the Clinton administration accused the tobacco industry of racketeering as part of a synchronized plan to deceive the public about the dangers of smoking, and to cover up the information they had to the contrary.

Under the ruling, the tobacco companies were also ordered to discontinue using such descriptions as “low tar,” “light,” “ultra light,” “mild,” or “natural,” or any other descriptions that might seem as if these products posed less of a health hazard or in any way were an attempt to downplay the dangers of smoking them.

While this ruling was a victory for many anti-smoking and anti-tobacco campaigns, many commented on how long it took for the government to respond to tobacco’s use and on how long the actual case itself took as well. Others felt that maybe the court was not punitive enough with the industry. “We are pleased with the court’s finding of liability on the part of the defendants, but disappointed that the court did not impose all of the remedies sought by the government,” said the Justice Department in a written statement. “Nevertheless, we are hopeful that the remedies that were imposed by the court can have a significant, positive impact on the health of the American public.” All in all, it seemed to many to be a shallow victory, but still did some good in highlighting the real dangers of smoking that even the tobacco industry itself could not – or was no longer allowed to – deny.

If your trying to quit smoking I can highly recommend Allen Carr’s book ‘Easy Way to Stop Smoking’ It’s available in the USA from Amazon.com and in the UK from Amazon.co.uk