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Altria Group Inc. said Wednesday it would spin off its international tobacco business on March 28, freeing it to pursue cigarette sales more aggressively without ties to its U.S. counterpart - and U.S. regulatory oversight.

Leading tobacco firms in the US, including British American Tobacco, are to face a class action lawsuit seeking punitive damages of up to $200bn (£105bn) relating to the alleged fraudulent promotions suggesting "light" branded cigarettes are safer, or less addictive, than regular ones.

The Florida Supreme Court upheld today a decision that threw out a $145 billion judgment against the nation's largest tobacco companies.

Tobacco consumption in the developed world is flat or declining, but it is booming worldwide, boosted by the removal of tariffs and other restrictions on trade that have been an integral part of globalization. But, tobacco, as its critics like to point out, is not like most other products - it's "the only legal consumer product that kills half of its regular users." So, naturally, governments are wont to regulate it.

Germany could face legal action for failing to implement a ban on advertising tobacco, a European Commissioner was quoted on Wednesday as saying.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a free-speech challenge by two tobacco companies over California's anti-smoking ads.