Four of the five largest tobacco companies are suing the federal government over graphic anti-smoking labels. Last June, U-S Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced the release of nine new FDA labels -- one of which shows the image of a dead smoker. The former governor of Kansas said the hope is to persuade adults to kick the nicotine habit... and to prevent kids from starting to smoke in the first place.
Tobacco companies claims the warnings no longer simply convey facts about smoking. They say the labels require producers of a lawful product to use their own advertising to convey a government message to shun their products. The new labels are slated to be placed on cigarette packages starting in October of next year.