An article titled “Phillip Morris Introduces Marlboro Marijuana Cigarettes” is from a satirical news website, but that didn’t prevent numerous people from sharing it on Facebook as if it were a real thing.
“Norcik added that they have begun contacting former drug lords in Mexico and Paraguay, currently the largest marijuana-producing countries in the world, for the possibility of setting up a distribution ring across the North and South American continents, to streamline the supply lines,” the article reads, while also spelling “Philip Morris” incorrectly.
On the bottom of the article--from the website Abril Uno--it reads “fake news, fictional news” as well as “satire, spoof.”
“Abril Uno. All rights reserved. Abril Uno (April One, or April Fools in English) is a satire, parody and spoof web publication. Abril Uno uses invented names in all its stories, except in cases where public figures or companies are being satirized, parodied or spoofed. Any resemblance to the truth, actual events, actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and is intended purely as a satire, parody or spoof,” reads a disclaimer at the bottom of the site.
There’s other satirical pieces including “Bin Laden’s Lair Now a Tourist Attraction,” even though the slain al-Qaeda leader’s home was destroyed years ago, and “Facebook Discontinues Fan Pages; Users Will Soon Pay to See Friends’ Posts,” which isn’t true.
But a large number of people thought the marijuana article was real.
“This story is so ignorant it hurts!!! I was quit interested until I got to the part where it told about Phillip Morris being in contact with former drug lords for a possible distribution ring....OMG!!!” said one commenter.
Added another, “Damn I called this in 01'.”
Several weeks ago, a satire site called the Daily Currant posted an article about marijuana in Colorado killing several dozen people, which many people shared and tweeted, getting more than 1.5 million “likes” on Facebook.
