WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court Friday agreed with the major elements of a 2006 landmark ruling that found the nation’s top tobacco companies guilty of racketeering and fraud for deceiving the public about the dangers of smoking.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington unanimously upheld requirements that manufacturers change the way they market cigarettes. The requirements, which have been on hold pending appeal, would ban labels such as “low tar,” “light,” “ultra light” or “mild.” Such cigarettes have been found no safer than others.
Throughout the 10 years the case has been litigated, tobacco companies have denied committing fraud. The companies argue the ban on labels like “light” would cost them hundreds of millions of dollars.
Philip Morris USA and its parent company, Altria Group Inc., said they will appeal to the Supreme Court.
The lawsuit was first filed in 1999 during the Clinton administration and pursued by the Bush administration after unsuccessful attempts to settle.
Besides Philip Morris and Altria, other defendants in the lawsuit are R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., British American Tobacco Ltd., Lorillard Tobacco Co. and Liggett Group Inc.
Liggett was excluded from the ruling because the judge said the company came forward in the 1990s to admit smoking causes disease and is addictive, and cooperated with government investigators.
