Supreme Court Opens Floodgates For New Cigarette Lawsuits

Tobacco companies suffered a defeat in the Supreme Court on Monday when the justices ruled that the companies can be sued by smokers who contend they were deceived by advertisements promoting "light" cigarettes.

In its 5-to-4 ruling, the court did not state that such advertising is, in fact, misleading. Rather, it concluded that lawsuits accusing the cigarette-makers of fraudulent conduct can proceed.

The ruling was a victory for a group of plaintiffs from Maine whose suit accused the tobacco companies of violating the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act by fraudulently advertising that their "light" cigarettes delivered far less tar and nicotine than regular brands.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[lmvd3]

The modern gangsters who work in the tobacco industry are a bunch of low-life, greedy, lying crooks. They have lied about "light" cigarettes for decades; light cigarettes are actually worse for smokers than regular non-lights. They are designed to be drawn deeper into your lungs, creating worse and harder to treat cancers--by design. There is a special place in Hel* for these immoral, unethical, greedy liars.

[aceholiday]

why not make the companies stop putting harmful stuff into the cigarettes, force them to make a better product? forcing them to put stupid, 'quit smoking' packets hurts the company and does nothing for the consumer

[olddad]

WHAT A BUNCH OF s!@#$#@!!!.Anyone who smokes knows it is a health risk.The tobacco companies should not be penalized for their consumers stupidity.No one forces them to smoke. They choose to smoke.There is no reason to sue anyone.The funny thing is that from round one of the Tobacco lawsuits the States have used the structured settlements as collateral for other loans.They now have a vested interest in keeping people smoking.

[lmvd3]

They have created a fraudulent product, and smokers are not getting what they pay for. This is fraud by design. The tobacco companies are purposely ripping people off, whether or not smokers get sick from smoking. They are criminals.

[HeevenSteven]

I don't even have to read the story to know who the four were. Seems their philosophy on advertising was influenced by P.T. Barnum.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

On what basis would such a lawsuit NOT have been allowed to proceed?

It should have been 9-0.

Four Jerks. Supremely so.

[JohnFromCensornati]

The Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act explicitly says that "no requirement or prohibition based on smoking and health shall be imposed under State law with respect to the advertising or promotion of any cigarettes." That's what the cigarette companies were counting on. Too bad the law suits are not about health. They are about deceptive advertising.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Thanks.

[Carolab]

They are about deceptive advertising concerning health. That's the rub.