WASHINGTON, DC -- October 14, 2008 -- The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia heard oral arguments today in the federal government’s landmark racketeering lawsuit against the tobacco industry, The United States of America v. Philip Morris USA, Inc.
The American Cancer Society and five other public health groups are interveners in the case, which was filed by the Department of Justice in 1999 to hold Big Tobacco accountable for more than 50 years of fraudulent and deceptive marketing practices.
John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society and its advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), issued the following statement on the case:
“This significant case is part of a critical effort by the federal government and the public health community to hold Big Tobacco accountable for decades of deceptive and fraudulent marketing practices that helped to hook millions of Americans to its deadly products. The court should apply the broadest set of remedies possible to punish the tobacco industry by compelling it to fund public education efforts, cessation programs and youth smoking reduction programs. Big Tobacco has thrived for decades on the business of addiction by marketing to children and misleading adults about the harms of its deadly products that continue to kill hundreds of thousands of Americans each year.
“Just last week, in the Altria Group, Inc. vs Good case, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the tobacco industry’s lies and fraudulent practices in the manufacture and marketing of ‘light’ and ‘low-tar’ cigarettes. It is time to hold Big Tobacco accountable for its actions and America’s legal system will continue to be a critically important tool to do that.
“Both of these cases only add to the overwhelming evidence supporting the need for Congress to grant the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco. Tobacco regulation legislation, which passed the House of Representatives earlier this year with overwhelming bipartisan support, would ban many of Big Tobacco’s most egregious practices and finally, after 50 years, regulate their marketing and labeling practices.
“Tobacco is the most preventable cause of death in this country, responsible for almost 440,000 deaths per year, including 30 percent of all cancer deaths and 87 percent of all lung cancer deaths. It is time that Big Tobacco finally is held accountable for their deplorable actions.”
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit https://www.fightcancer.org/.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Christina Saull
Phone: (202) 585-3250
Email: [email protected]
Steve Weiss
Phone: (202) 661-5711
Email: [email protected]