Groups Behaving Badly, #4: The ‘Truth’ Initiative


You’ve probably seen anti-smoking ads on TV from the overly-obnoxious Truth Initiative, which was at one time called The American Legacy Foundation. They don’t hesitate to exaggerate and downright lie about the supposed risks of smoking (which is probably why they call themselves ‘The Truth.’) Their ads are highly focused on “de-normalization,” the practice of convincing laypeople that smokers are “abnormal” and even dangerous. The organization is funded, in a roundabout way, by smokers via the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.

With all the money flowing into the organization, perhaps it’s not surprising they’ve been caught up in a potential embezzlement scandal.