Accusations against Philip Morris USA are untrue

EDITOR—Accusations made against Philip Morris USA in both an article and an editorial on candy cigarettes are misleading and untrue. 1 2 The company is categorically opposed to the use of its trademarks on candy cigarettes. Its position on this issue is consistent and clear. The accusations are false and are not supported by the facts.

We do not permit the unauthorised use of our trademarks, including use on clothing or merchandise. We do not authorise others to use our trademarks in ways that we ourselves are prohibited from doing. We continue to take aggressive action, including the filing of lawsuits, to prevent the use of Philip Morris cigarette brand names or logos on any item marketed to minors, such as candy, video games, and toys.

We have taken steps in over 1800 instances to prevent such unauthorised use of our trademarks. Records for the past three decades show that Philip Morris USA has been vigilant in its efforts to prevent trademark violations, especially on products that may appeal to children. Furthermore, in 1990 we began placing paid advertising in trade journals warning other …