Cigarette gag: smokes and speech.

• Author: Sullum, Jacob
• Position: Citings - Censorship of cigarette ads - Brief article

FOR YEARS anti-smoking members of Congress have sought to give the Food and Drug Administration authority over tobacco products. Opponents worry that consumers will interpret FDA regulation as an official stamp of approval, signaling that cigarettes are safe to consume, or at least safer than they used to be. In April the House of Representatives passed a bill that addresses this concern through censorship.

The legislation includes a provision barring manufacturers from making "any statement directed to consumers through the media or through the label, labeling, or advertising that would reasonably be expected to result in consumers believing that the product is regulated, inspected or approved by the Food and Drug Administration." So if...