Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) Summary

The following is a condensed list of MSA regulations. If you see any violations of these rules, please notify us!

Targeting Youth
• Prohibits targeting youth in advertising, promotions, or marketing.
• Bans industry actions aimed at initiating, maintaining or increasing youth smoking.
• Bans use of cartoons in the advertising, promotion, packaging or labeling of tobacco products.

Outdoor Advertising
• Bans all outdoor advertising, including: billboards, signs, and placards in arenas, stadiums, shopping malls, and video game arcades.
• Limits advertising outside retail establishments to 14 contiguous square feet.
• Bans transit advertising of tobacco products.

Product Placement And Sponsorships
• Bans payments to promote tobacco products in movies, television shows, theater productions or live performances, live or recorded music performances, videos, and video games.
• Prohibits brand-name sponsorship of events with a significant youth audience or team sports (football, basketball, baseball, hockey or soccer).
• Prohibits sponsorship of events where the paid participants or contestants are underage.
• Limits tobacco companies to one brand name sponsorship per year (after current contracts expire or after three years – whichever comes first).
• Bans tobacco brand names for stadiums and arenas.
• Bans distribution and sale of apparel and merchandise with brand-name logos (e.g., caps, T-shirts, backpacks).

Lobbying
• Prohibits tobacco companies from opposing proposed state or local laws or administrative rules that are intended to limit youth access to and consumption of tobacco products.
• Requires industry lobbyists to certify in writing they have reviewed and will fully comply with settlement terms including disclosure of financial contributions regarding lobbying activities and new corporate culture principles.

Prohibition on Agreements to Suppress Research
• Prohibits manufacturers from jointly contracting or conspiring to:
• Limit information about the health hazards from the use of their products;
• Limit or suppress research into smoking and health; and
• Limit or suppress research into the marketing or development of new products.
• Prohibits the industry from making any material misrepresentations regarding the health consequences of smoking.
• Prohibits manufacturers from jointly contracting or conspiring to:
• Limit information about the health hazards from the use of their products;
• Limit or suppress research into smoking and health; and
• Limit or suppress research into the marketing or development of new products.