Tobacco company Philip Morris committed fraud by misleading the American public to believe that "light" cigarettes are less of a health risk than regular cigarettes, APHA said in a friend-of-the- court brief submitted in June in a U.S. Supreme Court case. Along with fellow public health and anti-tobacco organizations, APHA argued that the case, Altria Croup Inc. and Philip Morris USA Inc. v. Stephanie Good, Lori Spellman and Attain Thibodeau, is about "fraud and deception and not about a failure to adequately warn." Thus, the Supreme Court should uphold a lower court's decision that Philip Morris falsely marketed light cigarettes and violated racketeering laws. The brief noted the long-held consensus among public health professionals that tobacco companies should not be allowed to use descriptions such as "light" on cigarette labels. More...
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