New York’s Top Court Rejects Liability Claim against Tobacco Firms

December 17, 2008

New York’s top court has rejected a product liability claim against tobacco companies for selling regular cigarettes when they could have used lower levels of tar and nicotine.

The Court of Appeals ruled that lawyers representing the late Norma Rose, who died after smoking regular cigarettes for more than 40 years, failed to prove that “light” cigarettes have the same effects as regulars.

The judges, upholding a midlevel court, say the only “utility” of a cigarette is to gratify a smoker’s desire for a certain experience, and it was unproven that light cigarettes do that as well as regular cigarettes.

The suit named Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., Philip Morris USA and other companies.

Topics New York

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Latest Comments

  • December 18, 2008 at 7:47 am
    Stat Guy says:
    Take it off the market in 30 days, huh? Nothing organized crime would like better; the black market will thrive, and you know why? Because people enjoy killing themselves! I... read more
  • December 18, 2008 at 7:40 am
    Stat Guy says:
    I couldn't agree with you more but you can bet that plaintiff's attorney is not done yet and will find a way to get this before a court, somewhere; as they say, "justice" deni... read more
  • December 17, 2008 at 3:21 am
    nobody important says:
    It's not just a cash cow for the states, some fairly large political families have their fortunes founded on tobacco money.

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