Initially, the company said, it placed all cigarettes it believed to be affected in storage.
We acted quickly, voluntarily and we have no reason to believe this won’t be successful.”Įvidence of the contamination initially turned up May 19, company officials said, when a strange odor was detected in the materials used to make filters. Said Daragan: “This was a freak occurrence. “Are they going to recall all cigarettes because they have nicotine in them?” he asked rhetorically.Ī Philip Morris spokeswoman, Karen Daragan, fired back that “there’s no reason why this should affect the regulation of our product.” Nicotine, Glantz noted, is sometimes used as an insecticide. The warnings, involving a product reviled by public health advocates, struck Glantz as “sort of bizarre.” Even without MITC, he said, “cigarettes already cause eye irritation-it’s well-documented.” Little is known about its toxicity in humans.Īccording to Philip Morris, continued use of cigarettes contaminated with MITC “could result in temporary discomfort, including eye, nose and throat irritation, dizziness, coughing and wheezing.” The company added that “pregnant women and persons suffering from respiratory conditions should avoid exposure” to the chemical. Scientific references say that in animals, MITC-which is used as a pesticide-causes corneal, liver and kidney damage. Goebel, a lobbyist for Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, a Berkeley-based advocacy group. They should all be recalled, because they give people cancer-even nonsmokers,” said Kevin C. 1 tobacco marketer, the announcement of what industry observers said was the first cigarette recall ever clearly was a huge embarrassment.Īnd it gave public health advocates and other industry critics a chance to make the company the butt of their sharpest barbs. Officials said the number of cigarettes to be destroyed would reach the “low billions” and that the recall could cost the company $200 million.įor New York-based Philip Morris, the world’s No.
The company said it had asked retailers to remove from their shelves many lines of its Marlboro, Benson & Hedges, Merit, Virginia Slims and Basic brands, among others. Click here to read ’s article about these lawsuits.Philip Morris, the tobacco industry giant that long has insisted on the safety of cigarettes, launched a massive recall Friday involving its top-selling brands, saying defective filters could cause dizziness and irritation. Other lawsuits making similar allegations have been filed against Philip Morris.
60cv-03-4661, Circuit Court of Pulaski County, Arkansas). Specifically, the complaint claims the company advertises that the Marlboro Light cigarettes are safer than regular cigarettes without any evidence to support such claims. in 2003 alleging that the company deliberately exaggerates the safety of its Marlboro Light cigarettes. October 2013: An Arkansas judge certified a class-action lawsuit filed against Philip Morris USA Inc. In addition, the Marlboro Lights and Marlboro Ultra Lights cigarettes were removed from the market. According to the terms, class members may receive either 10 cents or 25 cents, depending on when they purchased a pack of cigarettes. November 2016: A judge granted final approval of the settlement.Īugust 2016: A judge preliminarily approved a settlement of this action.