The U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 25 rejected an appeal from tobacco companies that alleged a federal regulatory rule requiring larger warnings on cigarette packages was unjustified and unconstitutional.
The justices did not explain their decision to turn down the appeal from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and other tobacco companies. The move means that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule is poised to take effect.
The FDA in 2019 proposed the rule, which would require larger warnings with updated language, including one saying that “smoking reduces blood flow to the limbs, which can require amputation.” Regulators said the new warnings stemmed from “the Government’s interest in promoting greater public understanding of the negative health consequences of cigarette smoking.”…