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Last Updated: Jan 31st, 2007 - 10:58:43 |
Court suspends tobacco sanctions
Nov 1, 2006, 16:59
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A US appeals court has suspended sanctions imposed on tobacco firms judged to have wrongly portrayed low tar cigarettes as less harmful.
In a two to one verdict, the court has given the cigarette-makers time to appeal the August verdict of District Judge Gladys Kessler. Judge Kessler had ordered the firms to make "corrective statements" on the dangers of all cigarettes. The tobacco firms that appealed included Philip Morris and Lorillard. The other two companies were Brown & Williamson and British American Tobacco. Judge Kessler had also ordered the tobacco firms to stop labelling cigarettes as low tar, light, ultra light or mild. Anti-smoking groups said there not surprised by the appeal court's decision. "Judge Kessler's finding was that these companies have lied to the American people for 50 years," said William Corr, executive director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "We're confident that, if it means going all the way to the Supreme Court, the government's case will be vindicated and the industry will be held accountable."
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