The Supreme Court cleared the way for a new wave of litigation, ruling that makers could be sued for allegedly deceiving smokers about the dangers of so-called light cigarettes.

The decision allows class-action lawsuits to proceed in several states and opens the door to suits in other states. Currently, around forty suits around the country are pending, seeking billions of dollars. With the Master Settlement Agreement of 1998, the US tobacco industry could end lawsuits over the healthcare costs from tobacco use in 46 states; however, it could not block private suits. (pi)