Posted 10.13.2011 by Karla Rivera
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Food & Drug Administration's plan to force cigarette manufacturers to include gruesome stickers on products.
The FDA was set to implement a new label system that would stiff-arm tobacco companies into printing graphic labels depicting the dangers of smoking on to their cigarette cartons. However, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled that tobacco companies will likely win a lawsuit against the labels and barred the labeling policy from going into effect until after the court case is resolved.
Leon said the nine gruesome images the FDA wanted to use violate freedom of speech, as they serve as more than mere warnings. Tobacco companies argue they already display accurate warnings on the labels and agree with Leon that the FDA's measures are extreme.
The FDA also has a marketing campaign planned in addition to the labels. The organization plans to use a variety of popular communication channels, ranging from social media to television commercials, to inform Americans of the dangers of smoking.