Court Rules 'Light' Cigarettes Duped Smokers

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By labeling some cigarettes as "light," the tobacco industry deceived smokers into believing these brands were less harmful than others, a U.S. Federal Appeals Court ruled Friday.

The court confirmed an August 2006 ruling by a lower court that found tobacco makers lied for years about the dangers of such cigarettes. The ruling also upholds an earlier decision ordering tobacco companies to remove statements such as "light" or "natural" from product packaging, the Agence France Presse reported.

The case pitted the U.S. government against big tobacco manufacturers including Philip Morris and Reynolds, who, the AFP reported, will likely appeal the decision before the U.S. Supreme Court.