Judge Denies Motion by Cigarette Makers
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The government’s claim that tobacco companies conspired to entice children to smoke through aggressive marketing techniques can proceed as part of a $289-billion Justice Department lawsuit against the industry, a judge in Washington ruled.
U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler denied a motion by the companies to dismiss a section of the case that alleges a youth marketing campaign was part of a decades-long scheme to mislead the public about the dangers of smoking that violated federal racketeering laws.
The companies, including Philip Morris USA Inc., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., have long denied that they tailored advertising campaigns to youngsters.
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