Ads getting away with rampant lies

What ever happened to the concept of truth in advertising? When I see ads in The Bee, a magazine or on TV that make irrational claims, I wonder why they are allowed to exaggerate and sometimes just flat-out lie about products they are selling.

Am I the Lone Ranger here or is anyone else tuned in to that? And almost all of the printed ones have that little box that says that the claims made have not been validated by anyone or any agency.

Some ads come to mind that challenge credulity to the extremes. These are the ads for new magical weight reduction pills or devices, skin care products that make an octogenarian look like a teenager, pills that sharpen your memory and concentration, others that promise energy production, probiotics that maintain a healthy digestive system and immune system, etc.

The one that stands out is the fast food company that shows a taco with an inch of meat at the bottom of the shell when actually there is about a tablespoon. What would happen if everyone who ordered them refused to take them because they are misrepresented in TV ads? What's next, a quadruple paper-thin patty burger?

MIKE KILLINGSWORTH

Manteca