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• Philip Morris Fails to Block California Group Lawsuit (Update1)  

Philip Morris International Inc. and other cigarette makers lost a bid to block a group lawsuit claiming that the companies misled thousands of California smokers about the dangers of smoking.

The California Supreme Court today reinstated a class- action, or group, lawsuit against tobacco companies, saying each smoker in the case isn’t required to prove that they relied on specific false statements when the alleged misrepresentations were part of “an extensive and long-term advertising campaign.”

The case, filed in 1997, accused tobacco companies of making misleading statements about the health risks and addictiveness of smoking, and sought restitution for money that smokers spent on cigarettes.

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