WASHINGTON — The Justice Department wants the largest cigarette manufacturers to admit that they lied to the public about the dangers of smoking, forcing the industry to set up and pay for an advertising campaign of self-criticism for past behavior.
As part of a 12-year-old lawsuit against the tobacco industry, the government on Wednesday released 14 "corrective" statements that it says the companies should be required to make. One says smoking kills 1,200 Americans every day.
Philip Morris USA, maker of Marlboro, the nation's top-selling cigarette brand, and its parent company, Altria Group Inc., said they were prepared to fight if the Justice Department won't dial back the wording of its proposals.
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