Philip Morris Ordered to Supply Data on Secondhand Smoke
LOS ANGELES--Philip Morris, the nation's largest cigarette maker, must give the Los Angeles city attorney reams of internal documents about the hazards of secondhand smoke, according to a judge's order made public Thursday.

The order stems from a suit the city filed in July against major tobacco companies, alleging that they have violated California law by not warning consumers about risks from secondhand smoke.

The city is seeking about $2.5 billion in civil penalties in the suit, which also seeks to force cigarette and cigar makers to comply with Proposition 65, California's Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, by giving a "clear warning" of the dangers of breathing secondhand smoke.

"The judge's order is the first judicial order to compel full and complete disclosure by the market leader, Philip Morris, on issues of environmental tobacco smoke and its health impacts on humans and animals," said Roger L. Carrick, the city's special outside counsel in the case. "This order will likely require Philip Morris to produce documents that have never been produced before."

Philip Morris attorney Gregory Stone had no immediate comment.

Source(s): THE L.A. TIMES, Friday, February 19, 1999 . "The Local Review/ DEVELOPMENTS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. "