Marlboro M hoax

The Marlboro M Hoax was a false rumor originating from satire news website Abril Uno in January 2014 and republished in March 2015.

[5] While the article was proven fake, its claims were able gain widespread belief because of past and current events in cannabis culture.

For example, it is true that tobacco companies, including Phillip Morris, were interested in marijuana as a competing product and potentially investing in the cannabis industry, long before rapid legalization came about.

[7] Legalization of cannabis in the United States and shifts in societal views on marijuana are also likely contributing factors to the wide acceptance these claims received.

[8] When the hoax appeared, it would have been illegal at the US federal level for a large company, such as Philip Morris, to introduce cannabis cigarettes across the country.