New Marlboro Cigarettes to Contain Marijuana: Facts

Story: 

Marlboro M Brand Marijuana Cigarette to come soon.

Other Versions

1. Marlboro is making a weed cigarette.

2. Phillip Morris, the world’s biggest cigarette producer of Marlboro, announced today that they will join the marijuana legalization bandwagon and start producing marijuana cigarettes.

Analysis:

These were the claims that spread heavily online via social media and other platforms. They said that Philip Morris of Marlboro is going to introduce “Marlboro M” brand cigarettes that contain Marijuana. That’s not a fact!

These claims of Marlboro M Brand Marijuana Cigarettes originated from a variety of sources, also including fictional articles and fake photographs, which seem to have started after the two U.S. states Colorado and Washington have legalized Marijuana for recreational use in November 2012.

Satirical Article

On 21 January 2014, an article published in abriluno.com entitled ‘Phillip Morris Introduces Marlboro Marijuana Cigarettes‘ came up with such claim. It was said that Phillip Morris, the world’s biggest cigarette producer, announced that they will join the marijuana legalization bandwagon and start producing marijuana cigarettes, marketing them under the brand “Marlboro M”. It was also said that the cigarettes will soon be made available for sale through marijuana-licensed outlets in Colorado and Washington when it becomes commercially legal there. The article was widely shared on social media and re-posted on other web sites — mistaking it for real news. The Disclaimer of the website clearly says, “Abril Uno is a satire, parody and spoof web publication” and “All articles contained herein are fiction (“fake”), untrue, for entertainment only, and of no news value.” ‘Abril Uno’ in fact means ‘April 1’ in Spanish, i.e. April Fool’s Day.

Fake Photograph

The picture that came with the aforementioned satirical article is widely used with the false claim that Marlboro is coming up with Marijuana (Cannabis) Cigarettes. The fake picture titled ‘Marlboro Greens‘ was in fact taken from Worth1000 Photoshop contest, stripping off the logo.

To conclude, as of this writing, there are no Marlboro brand M marijuana cigarettes; the hoax messages originated from satirical articles and fake photographs.

Hoax or Fact:

Hoax.

References:

Two U.S. States Become First to Legalize Marijuana