Hit Me with Your Best Shot: Important, Recent Court Cases

Douglas, Cliff

Wednesday, August 15, 2012: 1:00 PM

2502 AB (Kansas City Convention Center)

Cliff Douglas, JD , Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Director, University of Michigan Tobacco Research Network

Rachel Bloomekatz, JD , U.S. Court of Appeals

Ted Mermin, JD, M.Ed. , Public Good Law Center, Berkeley, CA

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this presentation attendees will be able to:

Describe recent, key legal cases related to tobacco regulation and the harms caused by tobacco use.
Identify how these cases relate to tobacco control efforts throughout the country.
Understand the role that amicus (“friend of the court”) briefs play in litigation and how they can be used more effectively to support tobacco control efforts.

Cross Cutting Program Area(s): Tobacco Industry and Tobacco Control Policies

Audience: Federal, state, and local public health staff, members of health advocacy organizations, or individuals.

Key Points: This session will provide an overview of important lawsuits against the tobacco industry and legal challenges to tobacco control regulations, laws, and policies. After this session, attendees will be able to describe these cases, will have an understanding of how they may relate to their tobacco control efforts, and will understand how amicus briefs can better play a role in these cases.

Educational Experience: Participants will hear about which cases are in the courts and why and will have an opportunity to learn why these cases are relevant to their work.

Benefits: Participants will benefit from learning of others’ experiences and will be able to describe the industry’s behavior. This information will help participants in their education, advocacy, and policy efforts.