Philip Morris USA has agreed to help hamstring sellers of cigarettes via the internet and U.S. mail, AdWeek writes (via MediaBuyerPlanner). In a landmark agreement with New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, following an agreement reached with 37 other U.S. attorneys general, Philip Morris has agreed to no longer ship cigarettes to any of its direct customers that the attorneys general have found to be engaging in illegal internet and mail order sales.

The company also agreed to reduce the amount of cigarettes made available to direct customers found to be engaged in the illegal resale of Philip Morris products to internet vendors, and cease incentive programs for retailers found by the attorneys general to be engaging in such illegal sales.

Last year, the attorneys general reached a deal with major credit card companies not to process payments for internet cigarette retailers and with UPS and DHL not to ship packages from such companies.

PM USA has independently supported compliance with state and federal laws that regulate remote sales, the company announced, adding that the actions to be taken by PM USA will be consistent with those it has previously taken in response to illicit trade of its products.