Section III of both the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) and Smokeless Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (STMSA) restricts marketing and other activities by participating manufacturers.
The agreements:
- Bans direct and indirect targeting of youth in advertising, marketing and promotion of tobacco products;
- Bans the use of cartoon characters in advertising, promotions and marketing;
- Restricts sponsorships by brand names
- Limits each company to a single brand name sponsorship in a 12-month period
- Prohibits sponsorship of events with significant youth audiences;
- Prohibits sponsorship of team sports
- Prohibits billboards and other outdoor advertising, but allows signs up to 14-squarefeet where tobacco is sold;
- Bans payments for product placement of branded cigarettes and tobacco products in entertainment media;
- Bans distribution of brand name merchandise; e.g., t-shirts, caps, backpacks, except in limited circumstances;
- Bans distribution of free samples except in Adult-Only Facilities or to consenting adults for product testing or evaluation;
- Bans gifts to youth in return for proofs of purchase;
- Prohibits allowing third parties to use tobacco brand names;
- Bans lobbying against certain kinds of tobacco control legislation;
- Bans agreements between tobacco companies to suppress health-related research and product development; and
- Bans material misrepresentations regarding the health consequences of using tobacco products.