RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – A federal judge will soon decide whether your next tank of gas or bottle of soda comes with a free apology from the Marlboro man and Joe Camel.

A recent ruling ordering a multimedia blitz stating that the nation's largest tobacco companies lied about the dangers of smoking left open the possibility that retailers could be required to post large displays with the mea culpas.

2. Federal Review of Tobacco Products Grinds to a Halt - Friday, December 14, 2012

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Talk about a smoke break.

Tobacco companies have introduced almost no new cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products in the U.S. in more than 18 months because the federal government has prevented them from doing so, an Associated Press review has found.

3. Court Leaves Ruling Against Big Tobacco Intact - Monday, July 30, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A federal appeals court on Friday left intact a court judgment that ordered tobacco companies to do corrective advertising about the dangers of smoking.

The companies sought to overturn a federal judge's order on grounds that the order had been superceded by a 2009 law that gave the Food and Drug Administration authority over the industry, including power to require graphic cigarette warnings.

4. Tobacco Firms Want Federal Court Decision Delayed - Wednesday, December 21, 2011

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – America's largest cigarette makers said Tuesday that the federal judge presiding over a decade-old lawsuit against the tobacco industry should delay her decision while other cases challenging new tobacco regulations are decided. The Justice Department, however, argued the case should move forward expeditiously.

5. Takeovers, Anticipated European Deal Lift Stocks - Tuesday, October 25, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks gained steadily Monday on a round of corporate takeovers and reports that Europe's bailout fund will be larger than anticipated. The Dow Jones industrial average was up nearly 130 points in the late afternoon. The Nasdaq composite index turned positive for the year.

6. Feds Say Drop in Cash Spent on Cigarette Promotion - Tuesday, August 02, 2011

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – The nation's top tobacco companies are spending less money on cigarette advertising and promotion and more money on promoting smokeless tobacco products, according to the latest data from the Federal Trade Commission.

7. Grisly Labels Not so Scary for Cigarette Sales - Friday, July 08, 2011

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – The nation's top tobacco companies' sales aren't expected to go up in smoke despite new grisly warning labels that are set to appear on U.S. cigarettes packs next year.

8. Government in New Dispute with Tobacco Companies - Monday, February 07, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Justice Department is in a new dispute with the tobacco industry over the government's landmark lawsuit against the companies.

The government has prepared corrective statements it wants the companies to be forced to make about the health hazards from smoking. But the tobacco companies don't want those proposed statements put in the public record before they get a chance to review them.

9. Both Sides Take Tobacco Fight to Supreme Court - Monday, February 22, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to allow the government to seek nearly $300 billion from the tobacco industry for a half-century of deception that "has cost the lives and damaged the health of untold millions of Americans."

10. What's In a Cigarette? FDA to Study Ingredients - Wednesday, January 20, 2010

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working to lift the smokescreen clouding the ingredients used in cigarettes and other tobacco products.

In June, tobacco companies must tell the FDA their formulas for the first time, just as drugmakers have for decades. Manufacturers also will have to turn over any studies they've done on the effects of the ingredients.