A federal appeals court threw out on Thursday an USD 800 billion class-action lawsuit on behalf of smokers who said they had been misled that light cigarettes were safer than regular ones.

The plaintiffs’ lawyers wanted to represent millions of people across the country who had smoked light cigarettes. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit said the smokers could not sue collectively, as it is impossible to generalize about why smokers chose light cigarettes. The decision means each individual smoker must prove that she or he had selected the product for perceived health benefits.
The decision overturned a ruling in September 2006 by a federal district judge, Jack B. Weinstein in Brooklyn, that certified the suit as a class action. The defendants –  among which are Philip Morris USA, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco and Loews Corp's Lorillard – said in statements they were pleased with the decision. (pi)