Cigarette Makers File Suit Over Marketing Restrictions

2009-09-01 03:02:49 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - Law, News)

Two U.S. cigarette makers file a lawsuit challenging a tobacco law.

Two major U.S. tobacco companies have taken legal action over a new law due to its marketing restrictions.

Press Release Service – Wired PR News – Two major U.S. tobacco companies have filed a lawsuit challenging a law that gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration tobacco regulatory authority. As reported by the Associated Press (AP), R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Lorillard Inc. filed a suit Monday stating the law violates free speech rights of the companies due to its marketing restrictions.

As noted in the report, the cigarette makers have taken issue with only certain provisions of the law, including mandated health warnings on packaging they state will hurt branding efforts. Jonathan Cox, president and chief executive of Commonwealth Brands is quoted by the AP as commenting in a statement, “We believe that many of the provisions within the Act violate our constitutional rights and are not reasonably related to the goal of reducing youth access to tobacco products.”

Ed Sweda, an attorney for the Tobacco Products Liability Project in Boston, is further quoted as stating of the lawsuit, “My expectation is that this lawsuit will be ultimately unsuccessful.”

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