County appeals court strikes down Ohio victory over cigarette ad in ‘07 issue of Rolling Stone
By APFriday, January 15, 2010
Court reverses Ohio victory over cigarette ad
COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio appeals court has reversed a decision that a cigarette company’s advertisement in Rolling Stone magazine violated a tobacco industry settlement.
Ohio and several other states brought lawsuits over an R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. ad in Rolling Stone that ran alongside a November 2007 feature story illustrated with drawings.
Ohio officials and the lower court said the ad’s placement amounted to using cartoons to sell cigarettes, violating a promise in the industry’s 1998 settlement with multiple states.
The appeals court in Columbus ruled Thursday that Reynolds had no say in the content that Rolling Stone chose to run next to the ad.
The ruling overturns a 2008 decision in the state’s favor. Ohio attorney general’s office spokeswoman Kim Kowalski says the office has not yet decided whether to appeal.
(This version CORRECTS Corrects typo in last sentence. Moving on general news and financial services.)
