COMPANIES LOOK TO STOP BAN ON FLAVORED TOBACCO

R.J. Reynolds and other tobacco companies filed a request Tuesday asking the U.S. Supreme Court to impose an emergency order to stop California from enforcing a ban on flavored tobacco products that was overwhelmingly approved by voters in early November. Tobacco companies themselves had gathered signatures to put the proposed ban on the ballot, after it was first passed by the state legislature two years ago. After nearly two-thirds of voters approved banning the sale of such products, it’s set to go into effect by Dec. 21. R.J. Reynolds filed a federal lawsuit challenging it a day after the Nov. 8 vote, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday denied the company’s emergency motion to block the law pending appeal.