15 U.S.C. § 1331

Current through P.L. 118-47 (published on www.congress.gov on 03/23/2024)

Section 1331 - Congressional declaration of policy and purpose

It is the policy of the Congress, and the purpose of this chapter, to establish a comprehensive Federal Program to deal with cigarette labeling and advertising with respect to any relationship between smoking and health, whereby-

(1) the public may be adequately informed about any adverse health effects of cigarette smoking by inclusion of warning notices on each package of cigarettes and in each advertisement of cigarettes; and

(2) commerce and the national economy may be (A) protected to the maximum extent consistent with this declared policy and (B) not impeded by diverse, nonuniform, and confusing cigarette labeling and advertising regulations with respect to any relationship between smoking and health.

15 U.S.C. § 1331

Pub. L. 89-92, §2, July 27, 1965, 79 Stat. 282; Pub. L. 91-222, §2, Apr. 1, 1970, 84 Stat. 87; Pub. L. 98-474, §6(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2204.

EDITORIAL NOTES

AMENDMENTS1984-Par. (1). Pub. L. 98-474 substituted "about any adverse health effects of cigarette smoking by inclusion of warning notices on each package of cigarettes and in each advertisement;" for "that cigarette smoking may be hazardous to health by inclusion of a warning to that effect on each package of cigarettes;".1970- Pub. L. 91-222 reenacted section without change.

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENTPub. L. 91-222, §3, Apr. 1, 1970, 84 Stat. 90, provided in part that: "All other provisions of the amendment made by this Act [enacting section 1340 of this title, amending this section and sections 1332 and 1335 to 1339 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section] except where otherwise specified shall take effect on January 1, 1970."

EFFECTIVE DATE Pub. L. 89-92, §12, formerly §11, July 27, 1965, 79 Stat. 284, as renumbered by Pub. L. 98-474, §5(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2203, provided that: "This Act [this chapter] shall take effect on January 1, 1966."

SHORT TITLE OF 1984 AMENDMENTPub. L. 98-474, §1, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2200, provided that: "This Act [enacting sections 1335a and 1341 of this title, amending this section and sections 1332, 1333, 1336, and 1337 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 1333 and 1335a of this title] may be cited as the 'Comprehensive Smoking Education Act'."

SHORT TITLE OF 1973 AMENDMENTPub. L. 93-109, §1, Sept. 21, 1973, 87 Stat. 352, provided: "That this Act [amending sections 1332 and 1335 of this title] may be cited as the 'Little Cigar Act of 1973'."

SHORT TITLE OF 1970 AMENDMENTPub. L. 91-222, §1, Apr. 1, 1970, 84 Stat. 87, provided: "That this Act [enacting section 1340 of this title, amending this section and sections 1332 to 1339 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 1333 and 1334 of this title] may be cited as the 'Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act of 1969'."

SHORT TITLEPub. L. 89-92, §1, July 27, 1965, 79 Stat. 282, provided: "This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the 'Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act'."

SEPARABILITY Pub. L. 89-92, §13, formerly §12, as added by Pub. L. 91-222, §2, Apr. 1, 1970, 84 Stat. 90, and renumbered Pub. L. 98-474, §5(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2203, provided that: "If any provision of this Act [this chapter] or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the other provisions of this Act [this chapter] and the application of such provisions to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby."

CONGRESSIONAL STATEMENT OF PURPOSEPub. L. 98-474, §2, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2200, provided that: "It is the purpose of this Act [see Short Title of 1984 Amendment note above] to provide a new strategy for making Americans more aware of any adverse health effects of smoking, to assure the timely and widespread dissemination of research findings and to enable individuals to make informed decisions about smoking."

cigarette: The term "cigarette" means-(A) any roll of tobacco wrapped in paper or in any substance not containing tobacco, and(B) any roll of tobacco wrapped in any substance containing tobacco which, because of its appearance, the type of tobacco used in the filler, or its packaging and labeling, is likely to be offered to, or purchased by, consumers as a cigarette described in subparagraph (A).
commerce: The term "commerce" means (A) commerce between any State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, or Johnston Island and any place outside thereof; (B) commerce between points in any state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, or Johnston Island, but through any place outside thereof; or (C) commerce wholly within the District of Columbia, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, or Johnston Island.
little cigar: The term "little cigar" means any roll of tobacco wrapped in leaf tobacco or any substance containing tobacco (other than any roll of tobacco which is a cigarette within the meaning of subsection (1)) and as to which one thousand units weigh not more than three pounds.
package: The term "package" means a pack, box, carton, or container of any kind in which cigarettes are offered for sale, sold, or otherwise distributed to consumers.
person: The term "person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, or any other business or legal entity.