Judge Rejects Claims in ‘Light’ Cigarette Case

A Minnesota judge said smokers who bought “light” cigarettes couldn’t sue Reynolds American Inc.’s R.J. Reynolds Tobacco unit over claims that the company defrauded them.

The smokers’ claims are precluded by federal cigarette labeling laws, which don’t permit states to impose additional requirements on tobacco companies, Minnesota District Judge Diana S. Eagon said in a decision.

Separately, the National Assn. of Attorneys General said it had warned R.J. Reynolds that one or more states planned to sue it over its claims that Eclipse cigarettes might present less risk of certain smoking-related diseases than traditional cigarettes.