Big Tobacco Fighting Marketing Restrictions

The tobacco industry is chafing against restrictions on marketing to young people.

As The New York Times notes, a new law said the industry can't use color in a magazine that has readership under 18, including People, Sports Illustrated and ESPN. The industry is upset about that, along with stricter controls over the language that is used to warn of the health risks of smoking.

"On public health grounds, the tobacco industry does not deserve much latitude to promote its deadly products with colorful images, as opposed to black and white text," the Times wrote Monday. "In a 2006 opinion based on company documents, Federal District Judge Gladys Kessler found that tobacco companies had marketed to young people 'while consistently, publicly, and falsely, denying they do so.' Now, the courts must decide how much this rogue industry may be restrained. The health of millions of impressionable young people rides on the outcome."