FTC Wants RJR To Sign On The Line

Company Says Joe Camel Is Dead, But Has First Amendment Qualms
WASHINGTON, D.C.–The Federal Trade Commission is taking R.J. Reynolds to court next week because the company has refused to sign an FTC order that would bar it from using Joe Camel in its ads.
The order also requires RJR to conduct a 10-year public education campaign to discourage young people from smoking.
It is the first time the government agency has brought a major cigarette marketer to trial over its advertising practices, FTC officials said last week.
The FTC had charged the company with unfair advertising last year, stating that the Joe Camel campaign violates federal law because it appeals to children.