Tobacco News Headlines, May, 1996

HEADLINE NEWS

Archive, May, 1996

LOCAL

  • 5/20/96 RAMSEY COUNTY, MN. Clerks who pass compliance checks conducted by the North Suburban Tobacco Compliance Project will get a chance to win two round-trip tickets - donated by Northwest Airlines - to anywhere in the continental United States. Chances of winning are pretty good--last fall, 153 clerks passed, and 53 failed.

    INTERNATIONAL

  • 5/20/96 BEIJING, CHINA. Beijing's ban on public smoking went into effect today.

    BUSINESS

  • May 15, 1996. Attempting to preempt FDA regulation PHILIP MORRIS AND US TOBACCO sent a series of proposals to control youth access to tobacco. Tobacco control advocates were unimpressed, saying the provisions in practise amounted to a "stunt.". The White House said it was "somewhat encouraged and slightly disappointed." Notably absent from participation were R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., and Lorillard Tobacco Co.

    LAWSUITS

  • TALLAHASSEE, FL. May 29, 1996: Florida State Circuit Judge Harold Cohen set trial for August 4, 1997 for the state's $1.4 billion "Medicaid" suit, and lifted a stay on the taking of depositions.
  • NEW ORLEANS, LA. May 23, 1996. CASTANO: A three-judge appeals panel today agreed with tobacco industry lawyers that a class action of 50 million smokers would be too unwieldy to move through the court, and voided a previous judge's certification. The panel ruled that the issues involved (addiction and the industry's knowledge of smoking's effects) are too new and too weighty to be decided all at once for every smoker in the country, and would be better worked out in state venues. The original plaintiffs may still proceed, and Castano lawyers had in fact prepared a "Plan B". Lawyers will begin immediately filing state-level suits. LIggett indicated it will still abide by the terms of its settlement. Tobacco stocks soared on the news.

  • NEW ORLEANS, LA. May 12, 1996. CASTANO: Plaintiffs in the class action suit filed a motion for preliminary approval of a proposed settlement reached with Liggett Tobacco on March 12, 1996. No date for a fairness hearing on the matter has been set.

  • May 3, 1996. INDIANA CLASS ACTION: A class action suit was filed against tobacco companies on behalf of all Indiana residents who allege addiction to nicotine.

  • TALLAHASSEE, FL. 5/10/96. Tobacco defendants' motions for rehearing were denied by the Court of Appeals for the Third District of Florida in two class action lawsuits. The defendants were seeking decertification of both classes:
    • BROIN V. PHILIP MORRIS COMPANIES, INC., involves non-smoking flight attendants who work or have worked for U.S. airlines and allege injuries from exposure to ETS.
    • ENGLE V. R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY involves plaintiffs who are Florida citizens and residents who claim they have become addicted to cigarette smoke and have suffered injuries as a result.

    Defendants intend to appeal both decisions to the Florida Supreme Court.

  • 5/1/96 MARYLAND MEDICAID SUIT: Maryland became the 8th state to file a "Medicaid" suit against the tobacco industry today, and the first to charge the industry deceptively and fraudulently targeted minorities through the use of inner-city billboards.. The suit will be handled by Baltimore Orioles part-owner PETER ANGELOS, who made his fortune representing workers in asbestos-related lawsuits. RJ Reynolds said cigarette taxes more than cover any smoking-related health-care costs.

  • 5/1/96 CONNECTICUT MEDICAID SUIT: Connecticut's attorney-general Richard Blumenthal said Connecticut plans to file a "Medicaid" suit against the tobacco industry, probably by early summer. .

    SOCIETY

  • 5/12/96. "ASHES TO ASHES," received a glowing review in the NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW.

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  • ©1997 Gene Borio, Tobacco BBS (212-982-4645). WebPage: http://www.tobacco.org).Original Tobacco BBS material may be reprinted in any non-commercial venue if accompanied by this credit

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