Tobacco.org

• Finnish court to rule in 'light tobacco' case 

In a Finnish court case that could set a precedent in Europe, two tobacco firms admitted smoking may cause serious illness but denied liability to three women with lung disease who say they were unaware of the dangers.

The Helsinki district court on Friday heard closing arguments in an indemnity and product liability suit brought by the women, aged 64, 58 and 52, against the Nordic unit of British American Tobacco (BATS.L: Quote, Profile, Research) and Finland's Amer (AMEAS.HE: Quote, Profile, Research), which produced cigarettes until 2004 under licence from Altria's (MO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Philip Morris.

A ruling is due in late August or early September.

Erkki Aurejarvi, the plaintiffs' lawyer, contended that when the women started smoking as teens, there was no way for them to understand the risks, since tobacco firms hid and publicly denied the link between cigarettes and diseases such as lung cancer.

His team also argued that tobacco companies have since the 1970s incorrectly marketed light cigarettes as a healthier option.

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