Tobacco.org

• Appeals Court Rejects Class Action In 'Light' Cigarettes Marketing Case 

A federal appeals court decertified a class Thursday in a lawsuit seeking up to $800 billion against Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA and other cigarette makers over the marketing of "light" cigarettes.

In an order Thursday, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court judge's 2006 decision certifying a class of smokers in the closely watched case. . . .

"Because individual issues outweigh issues susceptible to common proof, the class is not maintainable," the three-judge panel found Thursday. . . .

"Each plaintiff in this case could have elected to purchase light cigarettes for any number of reasons, including a preference for the taste and a feeling that smoking lights was "cool'," the circuit said.

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