Supreme Court of California

Over-the-counter products designed to help people quit smoking through nicotine replacement therapy are not required to carry a warning that nicotine can cause reproductive harm. Where, as here, the health-warning requirements of Proposition 65 are in direct conflict with those promulgated by the FDA, the federal requirement prevails.

Appellate Information

• Decided 04/15/2004
• Published 04/15/2004

Judges

• KENNARD, Acting C.J.

Court

• Supreme Court of California

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
•  Lexington Law Group, Eric S. Somers, Mark N. Todzo, San Francisco, Todd E. Robins and Howard J. Hirsch, Orange, for Plaintiff and Appellant., Bill Lockyer, Attorney General, Manuel M. Medeiros, State Solicitor General, Richard M. Frank, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Theodora Berger, Assistant Attorney General, Craig C. Thompson, Edward G. Weil, Dennis Ragen and Susan S. Fiering, Deputy Attorneys General, for the People as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Plaintiff and Appellant., Environmental Law Foundation, James R. Wheaton, Oakland, Iryna A. Kwasny;  Public Citizen Litigation Group, Allison M. Zieve and Brian Wolfman, Washington, DC, for Public Citizen as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Plaintiff and Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
•  Morrison & Foerster, James P. Bennett, Michèle B. Corash, Maria Chedid and Brooks M. Beard, San Francisco, for Defendants and Respondents GlaxoSmithKlineConsumer Healthcare, Alza Corp., Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Costco Wholesale Corp., Lucky Stores, Inc., Rite Aid Corp., Safeway Inc., and Walgreen Co., Livingston & Mattesich Law Group, Livingston & Mattesich Law Corporation, Gene Livingston and Matthew J. Goldman, Sacramento, for Defendant and Respondent McNeil Consumer Products Company., Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May, Reed Smith Crosby Heafey, John E. Dittoe, Oakland and Paul D. Fogel for Defendant and Respondent Pharmacia & Upjohn Company., Covington & Burling, Steven J. Rosenbaum, Washington, DC and Darren D. Cooke for the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, the Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association, the Grocery Manufacturers of America and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America as Amici Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents., Catherine I. Hanson, Astrid Meghrigian, San Francisco and Hans P. Lee for California Medical Association as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents., Robert D. McCallum, Jr., and Peter D. Keisler, Assistant Attorneys General, David W. Shapiro and Kevin V. Ryan, United States Attorneys, Barbara L. Herwig, Douglas Letter, Peter R. Maier, Washington, DC;  Daniel E. Troy, Lynn Whipkey Mehler and Heidi P. Forster, Rockville, MD, for United States of America as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents.