Philip Morris fights Irish cigarette display ban

Philip Morris, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, plans to file a joint lawsuit with an independent Irish retailer in an effort to overturn Ireland's ban on displaying tobacco products in stores.

Philip Morris, whose parent company is Altria Group, said in a statement yesterday that it would file the lawsuit along with Donegal-based retailer Maurice Timony at the Dublin High Court today.

The tobacco display ban, introduced in July, "severely restricts" the plaintiffs' ability to provide trade and services, violating Irish and European laws, Philip Morris said.

The Irish government introduced the ban as part of an effort to reduce tobacco use, which it says leads to almost 7 000 premature deaths a year.

In 2004 Ireland became the first EU country to introduce a ban on smoking in public places.

"This legislation just serves to hand the tobacco business over to smugglers and counterfeiters," Anne Edwards, a spokeswoman for Philip Morris, said in the statement.

"Ireland already has one of the worst illegal cigarette problems in the EU, and this ban is making it worse."

A spokeswoman for Ireland's Department of Health could not comment.

Under the legislation, tobacco products are not allowed to be displayed or advertised in stores. Retailers must ensure tobacco is stored out of view, in a closed container or dispenser that can only be opened by staff.

The plaintiffs were not seeking changes to legislation banning smoking in public places or tobacco advertising, Philip Morris said. - Bloomberg