Chap. 42.—An ACT to prevent untrue, deceptive and misleading adver-
tising and making such advertising a misdemeanor, and proyidin

penalties. . 10.
Approved February 17, 1916.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
any person, firm, corporation or association or any agent there-
of who, with intent to sell or in any wise dispose of merchandise,
securities, service, or anything offered by such person, firm, cor-
poration or association, directly or indirectly, to the public for
sale or distribution, or with intent to increase the consumption
thereof, or to induce the public in any manner to enter into any
obligation relating thereto, or to acquire title thereto, or any
interest therein, with fraudulent intent makes, publishes, dis-
seminates, circulates, or places before the public, or causes di-
rectly or indirectly, to be made, published, disseminated, cir-
culated, or placed before the public in this State, in a newspaper
or other publications, or in the form of a book, notice, hand-
bill, poster, blue-print, map, bill, tag, label, circular, pamphlet,
or letter, or in any other way, an advertisement of any sort
regarding merchandise, securities, service, land, lot, or anything
so offered to the public, which advertisement contains any pro-
mise, assertion, representation or statement of fact which is un-
true, deceptive or misleading, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor,
and, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less
than twenty-five dollars, nor more than two hundred and fifty
dollars, or confined in jail for a period of not less than ten days
nor more than sixty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.