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Marlboro M Brand Marijuana Cigarettes To Be Released Next Month? Viral Hoax Claims Cigarette Company Is Marketing Cannabis

By Tara West
Published on: 06:19 PST, Jan 22, 2016

Many people took to social media to voice their disdain or love of the purported Marlboro M brand marijuana cigarette. A viral article stated that the cigarette giant was going to offer marijuana cigarettes in four different states where recreational cannabis use is allowed. The trademark red Marlboro box was replaced with a bright green box that invoked a marijuana leaf inspiration. However, is there any truth to the claims that the cigarette company will be tapping into the commercial cannabis market?

An article posted on Abril Uno appears to have started the rumors surrounding the new Marlboro M brand. The article noted that a cannabis product had long been on the minds of Marlboro execs, however, they wanted to wait it out and monitor the market before jumping in.

“Serafin Norcik, Phillip Morris’ Sr. Vice President for Marketing said in an interview that the company has been high on the idea of marketing cannabis, and has been monitoring the market for some time. It was only when the recent legalization initiatives — winning in Colorado and Washington — that they finally made the decision to take a leap of faith.”

The viral post went on to claim that the Marlboro stock jumped from $83.03 per share to $420 per share after the company’s public announcement of the M brand and entering into the cannabis market. However, as you can see from the stock tracker below, Phillip Morris, the company that owns Marlboro, never reached a $420 per share price and has hovered between $77 per share to $90 per share throughout the past six months.

Marlboro M Brand Hoax
Phillip Morris, owner of Marlboro cigarettes, has not had the significant stock price jump that hoax articles are claiming. [Image via NASDAQ]

After the initial article was written on Abril Uno, another viral article was posted to Now 8 News. This article stated that the Marlboro M brand would be offered in four states, including Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Alaska. In the Now 8 News article, it revealed that the alleged price for a pack of Marlboro Ms will run $89 and that purchasers must be at least 21 to buy. It also points out that users must follow local marijuana laws or face potential jail time.

“Currently the law limits the purchase to only one pack at a time. Prices start at $89 per pack. You must be 21 years or older to purchase and must provide a photo ID. Any resale of the Philip Morris Marlboro “M” Brand Marijuana cigarettes is subject to fines and jail time according to local laws.”

Despite the seemingly accurate information, both publications are satire and comedy websites. If you scroll through the stories listed on each website, you will see that each one is a piece of satire and not a legitimate news source. Snopes notes that Abril Uno is a known satire website with the name translating to “April 1” — in other words, April Fool’s Day.

However, it seems that some people believed the reports and were either excited at the prospect of a mass produced cannabis product or upset that a large corporation was getting involved in the cannabis business. Check out some of the Marlboro M responses below.

https://www.facebook.com/neil.haroldson.5/posts/1045005782246025

https://www.facebook.com/bt.leopard/posts/10204327878355997

https://www.facebook.com/WilsonRedfeather/posts/1140600759307165

With so many people falling for the Marlboro M marijuana cigarette post, do you think that satire websites such as Abril Uno should be labeled as a work of fiction? Do you think people should be more vigilant about the articles they are sharing to social media? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

[Image via YouTube screenshot]

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