Congressional Digest

Supreme Court Debates October 2001 No. 7 Vol. 4
Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly

Regulating Tobacco Advertising

The First Amendment, Federal Law, and Commercial Speech

Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly

Respondent

William W. Porter, Counsel of RecordOn May 1,1998, Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly issued regulations concerning the sale and advertising of a variety of tobacco products with the stated goal of preventing children from getting hooked on tobacco. The rules prohibited any outdoor tobacco advertising within a 1,000-foot radius of any public playground or school. It also limited indoor advertising within the same radius that was either visible from outside or placed at children’s eye level. A number of cigarette manufacturers filed suit against the State on May 21, 1999, alleging that the Massachusetts regulations both were preempted by…

Back to top ↑
X
Username
Password

Email Address
Email Address Again
Forgot username/password?