Appeals court rejects class action for tobacco case

NEW YORK -- An appeals court has overturned class-action status for a lawsuit seeking $200 billion from tobacco companies for suggesting that light cigarettes might be less harmful than regular cigarettes.

The decision is a win for defendants including Marlboro maker Philip Morris USA, a unit of Altria Group Inc., and its biggest U.S. rival, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., together with other manufacturers. The companies prefer trying each case on its own, saying circumstances for each smoker vary widely.

The decision today by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan overturns a decision by a Brooklyn judge. That lawsuit has sought a large payout on behalf of tens of millions of smokers.

A message left with an attorney for the smokers was not immediately returned.