Philip Morris Misled Smokers Using Marlboro Lights Cigarettes
Published on November 7th, 2011 00:00
Altria Group’s Philip Morris unit misled Missouri cigarette consumers by advertising Marlboro Lights as safer variant than regular cigarettes. “Philip Morris promised two things: to create cigarettes possessing lower tar and nicotine. But it didn’t do it,” said Stephen Swedlow, who represents Missouri smokers in the state-court trial.
In the lawsuit the smokers stated that Philip Morris wrongly represented that the brand was lower in tar and nicotine, which is an infringement of the state merchandising law. The given cigarettes are not safer than other brands, the consumers declared in the court papers.
The smokers, who are requiring for $700 million and vindictive damages, do not declare about any personal injuries. The group that was certified in 2005 includes about 400,000 present and former Marlboro Lights smokers. The trial began with opening statements in September.
Swedlow required to jury to pay $696 million. “I understand that it is a significant number, but this comes to about 99 cents per pack of cigarettes,” he stated. “There was no disinformation on our part,” Beth Wilkinson, a Philip Morris attorney said in an interview. “Did they demonstrate that Marlboro Lights didn’t possess less tar and nicotine? Did they show that Marlboro Lights concealed information?” Mrs. Wilkinson asked. “They did not even prove their case.”
Philip Morris didn’t advertise Marlboro Lights as safer cigarette brand and its package contains similar health warnings as other cigarettes,” Mrs. Wilkinson said. Missouri smokers didn’t have any injuries, George Lombardi, another Philip Morris attorney said in the interview. “Nobody in this group paid more for Marlboro Lights than Marlboro Reds or any other brand,” he told the jury. However many smokers declare that Philip Morris “intentionally misled cigarette consumers about the nature and effect of Marlboro Lights.” Philip Morris owes injuries because the company “wrongfully represented” that there was less tar and nicotine in Marlboro Lights, Swedlow said. “Smokers didn’t receive what they were promised and this made their purchases worth less then they really paid for,” he said.
Philip Morris persuaded the plaintiffs that smoking Marlboro Lights was better for health that other cigarettes, Swedlow said. “But in fact they possessed the same tar and nicotine level as Marlboro Reds.”
The group considers all purchasers of Marlboro Lights made in Missouri starting from 1995 till 2010. Within this period Philip Morris sold $1.9 billion Marlboro Lights, Swedlow said. This is the second lawsuit held in Missouri against the tobacco company over marketing practices. Last April Missouri hospitals lost a jury verdict in their claim that R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Philip Morris, and Lorillard Tobacco Co. misled smokers about the nicotine content in cigarettes.
