Judge Denies 'Light' Cigarettes Request

AP ^ | 10/3/6

[SmithL]

A federal judge has denied a request by tobacco companies to let them keep marketing "light" and "low tar" cigarettes until an appeal is settled in their case.

U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler ruled in August that the cigarette makers violated racketeering laws and misled the public about the health consequences of smoking.

Kessler ordered them to stop marketing light and low-tar cigarettes and said the companies must make public statements about nicotine addiction and the health effects of smoking.

The companies immediately asked Kessler to hold off on enforcing that order until the appeal was complete,

[SmithL]

Tyrants in Black Robes

[L98Fiero]

Tyrants, indeed.

[spintreebob]

The presumption is that ordinary people are incapable of conducting their own affairs... that the invisible hand does not work ... that nobody read or believed the #1 publication of post-WWII (Readers Digest) that was on a rampage against smoking from the first copy I read in the 40's and that the majority of churches including both evangelical/fundamentalist and mainstream Methodist types that preached against smoking are irrelevant.

The presumption is that the government is needed to be our mommy our whole life and take care of us our whole life and not let us to grow up and make our own mistakes.

[L98Fiero]

Besides, anybody who has smoked a Marlboro Red and a Marlboro Light, KNOWS there is a difference.

[kinoxi]

A federal judge has denied a request by tobacco companies to let them keep marketing

Very odd.

[lesser_satan]

health-nazi ping!

[lesser_satan]

She looks like a joyless old commie bitch.

[wagglebee]

Yep, it's tough to say they're the same thing.

[Niteranger68]

Based on the logic (or lack of) for this "light" cigarette issue, I can now smoke 4 packs of Marlboro reds a day and it is no different than smoking one single Merit Light.

[gridlock]

The implication of a "Light" cigarette is that it is less dangerous than a conventional cigarette. If the tobacco companies have research that demonstrates this to be true, they should produce it. I suspect that it is a fantasy, however.

To my mind this is all just tinkering with the machinery of death. The government should just ban the damn things, but will never willingly give up the tax revenues cigarettes provide.

[Gabz]

They're coming out of the woodwork today..........


The problem I have with the entire idea of this suit, is the GOVERNMENT OK'd the use of "light" and "low tar" years ago........so how in heck can it be racketerring if it were government sanctioned?

I know, I know, rhetorical question.

[BykrBayb]

They're coming out of the woodwork today..........

I noticed.

[Gabz]

I'm glad I have to get off line here in a few minutes for a few hours........SHEESH.

[CSM]

"so how in heck can it be racketerring if it were government sanctioned?"

More like government mandated. The government is now punishing folks for obeying the law. The funny thing is that many FReepers will celebrate this march towards tyranny.

[Gabz]

The funny thing is that many FReepers will celebrate this march towards tyranny.

It's only funny in a very sad way.

The increasing number of nanny-state embracers on FR is getting downright scary.

[SmithL]

Do-Over:

Judge Gladys Kessler
Judge Kessler was appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in July 1994. She received a B.A. from Cornell University and an LL.B. from Harvard Law School. Following graduation, Judge Kessler was employed by the National Labor Relations Board, served as Legislative Assistant to a U.S. Senator and a U.S. Congressman, worked for the New York City Board of Education, and then opened a public interest law firm. In June 1977, she was appointed Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. From 1981 to 1985, Judge Kessler served as Presiding Judge of the Family Division and was a major architect of one of the nation’s first Multi-Door Courthouses. She served as President of the National Association of Women Judges from 1983 to 1984, and now serves on the Executive Committee of the ABA’s Conference of Federal Trial Judges and the U.S. Judicial Conference's Committee on Court Administration and Management.

[HonorsDaddy]

Thats really her huh?

Thought i was looking at a stock photo of "The Church Lady" from SNL for a moment there...

[HonorsDaddy]

Hey - if you dont like em, dont smoke em.

Otherwise, just shut up ok? I can make my own decisions on how to best kill myself, er i mean, enjoy life thankyouverymuch...

[absolootezer0]

i thought the implication of a light cigarette was a lighter flavour.