This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/business/5378794.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Tobacco firms sued over low tar | Tobacco firms sued over low tar |
| (30 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' |
| Spokesmen for Reynolds American, parent company of RJ Reynolds, and UK company British American Tobacco said each would now be appealing the judge's decision. | |
| The appeal is likely to last up to a year. | |
| Altria, parent of Philip Morris, declined to comment on the ruling until its lawyers could review the decision. | Altria, parent 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. | 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. | 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. |
| British American Tobacco said that to date there have been 60 class actions cases against tobacco companies in the US and none have been successful. |