R.J. Reynolds v. City of Edina (2020)
Industry challenges a local flavored tobacco product ordinance adopted by the City of Edina, Minnesota, arguing that the ordinance is preempted by the Tobacco Control Act.
Litigation is an important tool to defend and advance public health policy. This tracker provides information and official court documents from select lawsuits within the focus areas of the Public Health Law Center, including commercial tobacco control and healthy eating. Some cases are relevant to cross-cutting issues that affect public health, such as preemption and First Amendment considerations. The Public Health Law Center has supported public health goals as an amicus curiae, or friend-of-the-court, by filing briefs (included here) with relevant information that the court may choose to consider. You can read more about the Function and Role of Amicus Briefs in Public Health Litigation.
R.J. Reynolds v. County of Los Angeles (2020)
Tobacco Industry challenges the County of Los Angeles’ flavored tobacco product sales restriction, arguing the ordinance is expressly and impliedly preempted by federal law.
Baltimore v. Philip Morris (2022)
The City of Baltimore filed suit against Philip Morris International and other major tobacco manufacturers to hold them accountable for cigarette litter, with charges including public nuisance, trespass, and violations of state and municipal laws.
R.J. Reynolds v. FDA (2020)
The tobacco industry challenges the FDA’s graphic warning label rule on First Amendment grounds.
R.J. Reynolds v. Bonta (2022)
On November 8, 2022, California voters approved a measure to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products, including e-liquids, in the state, with exceptions for flavored shisha used in hookah, premium cigars, and loose leaf tobacco. R.J. Reynolds and other tobacco industry entities filed suit on November 10, 2022 seeking an injunction and declaratory relief against the measure. On December 12, 2022, the Supreme Court denied the suit.
In Re: Juul Labs, Inc., Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation (2019)
Beginning in 2017 youth consumption for electronic cigarettes significantly increased – driven in part by Juul’s marketing of flavored e-liquid pods, delivered through Juul devices which were much more portable and concealable than other ESD, and Juul’s use of social media platforms popular with youth and young people to market its products.
Gripum v. FDA (2022)
Gripum manufactured flavored e-liquids for use in open-system electronic nicotine delivery systems. They sought market authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue to make and sell their products. FDA denied the request.
Bidi Vapor v. FDA (2022)
Bidi Vapor, Diamond Vapor, Johnny Copper, Vapor Unlimited, Union Street Brands, and Pop Vapor manufactured flavored nicotine-containing e-liquids for use in e-cigarette devices. They sought market authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue to make and sell their products.
Prohibition Juice v. FDA (2022)
Prohibition Juice Co, and the other Petitioners whose cases were consolidated with this one, manufactured flavored nicotine-containing e-liquids for use in open-system e-cigarette devises. They sought market authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue to make and sell their products.
African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council v. FDA (2020)
Public health groups sued the FDA over its failure to prohibit the sale of menthol cigarettes.