New signs near tobacco displays in local stores include “corrective statements” that are part of the outcome of a 2006 federal court ruling that found tobacco companies misled customers about the harm and addictiveness of smoking.  North Central Public Health District says the signs are required to be posted at about 200,000 retail locations nationwide that have merchandising agreements with the tobacco companies involved in the litigation.  Another 100,000 tobacco retailers do not have such agreements and aren’t required to post the signs.  Retailers had until October 1 to post the signs, which must stay up for 21 months.  The signs are the final remedies called for by the 2006 ruling.  In 2017, the tobacco companies were required to post the statements in newspaper advertisements, on TV spots, on cigarette packages, and on their websites and social media pages.  The court ordered the posting of retail signs regarding the adverse health effects of smoking, how addictive it is, how “light” or “mild” and other labels did not have health benefits, how the industry manipulated cigarette design and composition to ensure optimum nicotine delivery, and how dangerous secondhand smoke is.