[Intl-tobacco] NZ Government Considers Suing Tobacco TNCs (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

New Zealand News from The Press - Thursday, March 16, 2000
THURSDAY, MAR 16, 2000:
  Govt looks at tobacco law change
by Nicholas Maling
in Wellington

The Government will consider changing the law so that it could sue tobacco
firms, Prime Minister Helen Clark says.

Tobacco companies may also be forced to label their products with the
additives they put in cigarettes as the Government steps up its attack on
smoking.

Ms Clark, Attorney-General Margaret Wilson, and Health Minister Annette
King met with anti-smoking group ASH yesterday to discuss the possibility
of suing tobacco companies for the health costs of smoking-related
illnesses.

Ms Clark said Crown Law Office advice was that the Government's chances of
successfully suing cigarette companies were slim unless it legislated for
the move.

"On the present legal framework, it's tough. You might have to legislate
to enhance your chances. That has been done in other jurisdictions, so
we'd want to look at that," Ms Clark said.

She was seeking further legal advice on the issue. More information would
need to be gathered before a decision was reached, but litigation remained
under active consideration.

"Litigation is one of a range of tools you have when you're trying to
promote a smoke-free society," Ms Clark said. "We're basically wanting to
do quite a lot more work and see what's happening in other jurisdictions."

Ms Wilson would attend a conference of attorneys-general in Australia next
week, where the issue of tobacco litigation was on the agenda. The
Government would also take an interest in a seminar on the subject of
tobacco litigation being run by ASH next week.