The jig is up for Big Tobacco. Firms including Altria Group Inc. (MO) - Get Report and British American Tobacco PLC (BTI) - Get Report have been forced to advertise smoking's deadly and addictive effects during prime-time television and in newspapers starting this Sunday, Nov. 26. The court-ordered advertisements will begin 11 years after a judge initially ruled tobacco companies had misled the American public about the dangerous effects of smoking cigarettes. The ads have been the subject of legal back-and-forth for over a decade. When they run, they will be simple text and voice-over statements illustrating the ill-effects of smoking, similar to the disclosure statements at the end of pharmaceutical commercials. Last month, Altria estimated it would spend $31 million on the ad spots, which are scheduled to run five times per week for the next year. One ad will read, "More people die every year from smoking than from murder, AIDS, suicide, drugs, car crashes and alcohol combined," according to several media reports. The court case began in 1999, when the Justice Department sued several Big Tobacco companies including Philip Morris, RJ Reynolds and Lorillard LLC, according to anti-tobacco group ClearWay. All of the original defendants are now owned by Altria or British American. In 2006, district Judge Gladys Kessler ordered the companies to publicize "corrective statements." The Supreme Court this year declined to hear tobacco companies' case, meaning the 2006 decision would be enforced as previously ruled, ClearWay said. Altria stock has fallen 2.7% since the start of the year. British American shares have increased 17.4%. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: Editors' pick: Originally published Nov. 21.
Tobacco firms , including Altria and British American Tobacco ( BAT ) , will be allowed to advertise the dangerous health effects of smoking in newspapers and on prime - time television in the UK . The advertisements , which will begin on Sunday 26 November and which will cost Altria $ 100 m , are the subject of a court order and have been subject to legal disputes for over a decade . In 1999 , the US Justice Department sued leading tobacco firms , all of which are now owned by Altria or BAT . In 2006 , a judge ordered the firms to make “ corrective statements ” and this decision is now being enforced .