However, all attempts to gloss and meet certain “elite” image nothing more than a publicity stunt, which was coined by the best experts on public relations. The thing is that these cigarettes are initially directed their attempts at advertising the fair sex. “Soft as the breeze in May,” in the 1920s, the tobacco industry products under the name “Marlboro” placed emphasis on the equality of men and women who follow fashion trends of emancipation. In the 1950s Philip Morris began to think about the need to change course. Not too popular brand tried to save his position, trying to avoid the disastrous results of actions of scientists. The thing is that at that time were released research data Luther Terry, under which he claimed a strong link smoking with lung cancer and chronic bronchitis. Such disclosure has long been feared all the tobacco corporations. And as it turned out, not without reason in connection with an introduction to such information in 1953 in the U.S. for the first time the history of cigarettes significantly decreased their consumption. Of course, thinking about the health of ordinary American citizens, no one was going. The fact that cigarettes cause great harm to health, the owners of tobacco factories and heard, without any research, but do we know a lot of businessmen who care about something besides the well being of themselves and their own family? So in this case, the actions were quite predictable. Tobacco companies immediately tried to refute this information, trying to convince Americans of the unreliability of research, and when such a move has not led to expected results, are recklessly accuse competitors in that they produce more harmful varieties. Of course, a large proportion of the charges were accounted for cigarettes, while products with the filter is completely harmless. At that time it was believed that these cigarettes exclusively female domain, because brand “Marlboro” in this case was left on the horse. However, due to the reduction in cigarette consumption in general, Philip Morris might well fail, but because he urgently needed to teach American males to think that smoking cigarettes without a filter is not shameful. From now on, ladies’ tobacco products were to become universal.

Fake news: phillip morris introduces marijuana cigarettes – urban legends

Cigarettes russes cookies

Description Viral article / Satire
Circulating since Jan. 2014 (text) / Aug. 2007 (image)
Status FALSE (see details below)

Example
Via , Jan. 21, 2014

Phillip Morris Introduces Marlboro Marijuana Cigarettes

Phillip Morris, the world s biggest cigarette producer, announced today that they will join the marijuana legalization bandwagon and start producing marijuana cigarettes. Marketed under the brand “Marlboro M”, the cigarettes will be made available for sale through marijuana licensed outlets in the state of Colorado, and the state of Washington when it becomes commercially legal there later this year.

Serafin Norcik, Phillip Morris Sr. Vice President for Marketing said in an interview that the company has been high on the idea of marketing cannabis, and has been monitoring the market for some time. It was only when the recent legalization initiatives winning in Colorado and Washington that they finally made the decision to take a leap of faith.

Full Text

Analysis As one might expect from a site called “Abril Uno” (April First), this article is a spoof. The site’s disclaimer is unambiguous “All articles contained herein are fiction (‘fake’), untrue, and for entertainment only.”

The image used in the article, also a spoof, dates from 2007 and originally appeared as an entry in a photo editing contest amusingly titled “If Hippies Ruled.”

Notwithstanding the recent passage of laws legalizing the sale and use of small amounts of pot in a few states and much speculation about the commercial future of cannabis, as of this writing no major tobacco companies, including Phillip Morris, have announced plans to begin producing marijuana cigarettes.

Sources and further reading

Phillip Morris Introduces Marlboro Marijuana Cigarettes
Abril Uno (satire website), 21 January 2014

Marlboro Greens
, 14 August 2007

Will Big Tobacco Jump on the Marijuana Movement?
Associated Press, 19 December 2012

Last updated 01/25/14