Legal

State

State Supreme Judicial Court upholds award for compensatory damages but strikes down punitive award (MA)
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court partially overturned a landmark verdict against Lorillard Tobacco Co., stating the company had designed and marketed cigarettes to attract younger smokers. The suit was filed by a late Roxbury woman who claimed she was hooked on cigarettes as a child and later died of lung cancer. The Supreme Judicial Court struck down the award of punitive damages, but upheld the award of compensatory damages to the woman’s son and estate. The compensatory ruling has been hailed by anti-tobacco activists who feel the ruling may make Massachusetts an appealing locale for lawsuits against tobacco companies brought on by smokers. Click here to read more about this case.

Vermont judge orders R.J. Reynolds to pay $8.3 million in penalties and stop deceptive advertising (VT)
A Vermont Superior Court judge has ordered R.J. Reynolds to pay Vermont $8.3 million in penalties for deceptive marketing. The Vermont Attorney General’s Office sued R.J. Reynolds for advertising the Eclipse cigarette as a “risk reduction” product, stating that the cigarette may present less risk of cancer and other serious diseases caused by smoking as compared to other cigarette brands. In addition to penalties, the judge also banned Reynolds from making future health claims without backing from a scientific study. To read more about the ruling, click here. Click here to view a statement about the case from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

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International

Legal Update, the newsletter of the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium
The Tobacco Control Legal Consortium released its spring 2013 newsletter, Legal Update that provides a global perspective on tobacco control successes and challenges. The issue promotes a global perspective for tobacco control professionals in the US who could learn a lot from their counterparts around the world. Highlights include perspectives from Brazil, Chile, Russia and Ukraine, global tobacco control challenges, a Q&A with Patricia Lambert, Director of the International Legal Consortium, and many international resources on tobacco control. To view the newsletter, click here.

Guide to online resources for researching individuals and organizations
A new guide from the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium provides information about online resources that can be used to research individuals and organizations, including front groups, allies, lobbyists, politicians, and others that may be associated with or supported by the tobacco industry. Click here to access the new fact sheet.

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