Any person, firm, corporation or association who, with intent to sell or in any way dispose of merchandise, securities, service or anything offered by a person, firm, corporation 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 any interest therein, makes, publishes, disseminates, circulates or places before the public or causes directly or indirectly to be made, published, disseminated, circulated or placed before the public in this city, in a newspaper or other publication or in the form of a book, notice, handbill, poster, bill, circular, pamphlet or letter or in any other way an advertisement of any sort regarding merchandise, securities, service or anything so offered to the public which advertisement contains any representation or statement which is untrue, deceptive or misleading or intended to subject any person to disadvantage or injury through the publication of false or deceptive statements, shall be guilty of an offense punishable as hereinafter provided. Provided, however, that the provisions of this subchapter shall not apply to any owner, publisher, printer, agent or employee of a newspaper or other publication, periodical or circular, who, in good faith and without knowledge of the falsity or deceptive character thereof, publishes, causes to be published or takes part in the publication of the advertisement.
(Ord. 78, passed 9-18-1928)