French court rejects €18.6m smoking lawsuit

A French court has rejected an €18.6m lawsuit filed by the regional office of the French health insurance fund (CPAM) against four cigarette manufacturers, for the cost of treating patients with tobacco-related diseases.

This is the first case of its kind in France.

The group sought payment from Altadis SA, Philip Morris Cos Inc, JTI-Reynolds and BAT-Rothmans for the cost of treatment of insured patients.

The lawsuit claims the tobacco companies produce addictive and cancer-causing products without providing smokers adequate information on the dangers tied to cigarette smoking.

CPAM also wanted the cigarette companies to provide clearer labelling about health risks, pay for cancer detection facilities and offer free treatment for smokers trying to quit.

The Saint-Nazaire health insurance branch originally filed its complaint in 1999, requesting compensation for the estimated cost of treating 1,435 patients suffering from tobacco-related illnesses during a period from Jan 1997 to Dec 1998.