Eight States Sue R.J. Reynolds over Rolling Stone Ads

R.J. Reyolds is being sued by eight states for its use of cartoons in ads that ran in Rolling Stone magazine. The suit alleges the company violated a 1998 pact in which the tobacco industry collectively agreed not to user cartoons in advertising.

The suit was announced just a week after R.J. Reynolds announced it will stop marketing cigarettes in magazine ads. The move may have been prompted in part by a storm of criticism from antismoking activists about the Rolling Stone ads because they blurred the line between advertising and editorial content.

The attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington all filed lawsuits on Tuesday. The controversial ads appeared in a nine-page spread in Rolling Stone that covered about Camel’s support of indie rock music.

A spokesperson for the company said the Camel ads themselves contained no cartoons. While they were surprised and concerned by Rolling Stone’s illustrations, they bore no responsibility for them, he said, writes the AP. “Had we been aware of the graphics prepared by Rolling Stone, we would not have advertised adjacent to the gatefold,” he said.

The states are seeking fines of $100 per magazine distributed within their borders, as well as $100 per hit on the related R.J. Reynolds Web site. Nine states in total are expected to file suits.