A federal judge has ruled that people who smoked light cigarettes, which were frequently promoted as a safe alternative to regular cigarettes, can sue for fraud in a class-action suit.
There was substantial evidence that manufacturers knew light cigarettes were at least as dangerous as regular cigarettes.
Medical researchers have found that people draw harder on light cigarettes, filling their lungs with more toxic material than they would get from regular cigarettes.
The case differs from previous tobacco lawsuits in that it claims the industry defrauded customers, rather than that the smokers were personally injured. Since 45 percent of smokers use light cigarettes, vast numbers of people could become involved in the suit.
It could potentially involve tens of millions of people and damages of up to $200 billion.
Before the class-action suit can proceed to a jury trial, it must be upheld by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Many litigation experts believe that it will be struck down in this court.