smokers' rights group
Groups created and used by the tobacco industry to put forth views that appeared to emanate from an entirely "independent" group. Smokers' rights groups (SRGs) were conceived by tobacco companies and usually operated through public relations companies to help them maintain distance from the tobacco industry. SRGs acted as mouthpieces for the tobacco industry, giving the industry the clandestine ability to introduce opinions and defenses on tobacco issues without incurring the burdens caused by liability from manufacturing the product. SRG's were to give the world the appearance of a tremendous, coordinated grassroots uprising by smokers to oppose smoking restrictions worldwide.