On July 21, 2025, the Baltimore City Circuit Court denied Defendant cigarette manufacturers’ motions to dismiss the City of Baltimore’s claims alleging that the Defendants are liable for damages to the City resulting from cigarette waste (used cigarette butts) under multiple tort theories, including design defect, failure to warn, and nuisance. The Court also found that the City’s claims are not preempted by state or federal law, nor barred by the 1988 Master Settlement Agreement that resulted from the historic multi-state “Big Tobacco” lawsuit, nor by the statute of limitations. Counts of the City’s Complaint alleging that Defendants’ conduct violated the City Health Code and a Maryland criminal law were dismissed.
The Court’s Opinion and Order can be found here. The City’s Complaint can be found here.