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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Tobacco firms sued over low tar | Tobacco firms sued over low tar |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A lawsuit which accuses tobacco firms of duping smokers into thinking low tar or "light" cigarettes are less harmful has been given the go ahead in the US. | A lawsuit which accuses tobacco firms of duping smokers into thinking low tar or "light" cigarettes are less harmful has been given the go ahead in the US. |
| Federal judge Jack Weinstein has ruled that the case can proceed as a class action, involving potentially tens of millions of plaintiffs. | Federal judge Jack Weinstein has ruled that the case can proceed as a class action, involving potentially tens of millions of plaintiffs. |
| Experts estimate that if successful, the case could cost the tobacco industry up to $200bn (£105bn). | Experts estimate that if successful, the case could cost the tobacco industry up to $200bn (£105bn). |
| Defendants include Philip Morris, RJ Reynolds and British American Tobacco. | Defendants include Philip Morris, RJ Reynolds and British American Tobacco. |
| They [the cigarette firms] understood that they were selling death Attorney Michael Hausfeld | They [the cigarette firms] understood that they were selling death Attorney Michael Hausfeld |
| They are joined by Lorillard Tobacco and Liggett Group. | They are joined by Lorillard Tobacco and Liggett Group. |
| Low tar cigarettes were introduced in the 1970s. | Low tar cigarettes were introduced in the 1970s. |
| 'Disguise' | 'Disguise' |
| Altria, parent company of Philip Morris, declined to comment on the ruling until its lawyers could review the decision. | Altria, parent company of Philip Morris, declined to comment on the ruling until its lawyers could review the decision. |
| Lawyers for the plaintiffs argue that the tobacco companies in question reaped between $120bn to $200bn in extra sales through the deception that light cigarettes are less harmful than full strength versions. | Lawyers for the plaintiffs argue that the tobacco companies in question reaped between $120bn to $200bn in extra sales through the deception that light cigarettes are less harmful than full strength versions. |
| "They [the cigarette firms] understood that they were selling death," said attorney Michael Hausfeld. | "They [the cigarette firms] understood that they were selling death," said attorney Michael Hausfeld. |
| The question, he added, was "how to disguise it...They put on 'lights'." | The question, he added, was "how to disguise it...They put on 'lights'." |
| Defence attorneys had argued that the lawsuit relied on flawed data. | |
| They also said that without surveying each and every smoker in the lawsuit it would be impossible to determine their motives for buying light cigarettes. | |
| The link between smoking and lung cancer was first confirmed in 1954. | The link between smoking and lung cancer was first confirmed in 1954. |