Beatie v. New York City

A cigar smoker challenged the validity of a New York City ordinance regulating smoking in public areas, claiming that the regulation of cigar smoke violated the constitutional guarantees to due process and equal protection of the law because the city lacked a rational basis for the regulation.  The Court granted the defendants' motion for summary judgment, finding that the existing scientific evidence pertaining to the health effects of cigar smoke, though conflicting, provided a rational basis for the regulating cigar smoke.  The Court further found that the classification of all tobacco smoke as the target of regulation, though perhaps overly broad, was reasonable and did not constitute a violation of equal protection.

DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT

Beatie v. New York City, et al., No. 95 Civ. 3429 (DLC), United States District Court, Southern District New York (1996).

  • United States
  • Aug 6, 1996
  • United States District Court, Southern District New York

Parties

Plaintiff Russel H. Beatie, Jr.

Defendant

  • Council of the City of New York
  • New York City
  • Rudolph Giuliani, Mayor, as Mayor of the City of New York

Legislation Cited

Smoke-Free Air Act (New York City Administrative Code, Section 17, Chapter 5)

Related Documents

Type of Litigation

Tobacco Control Topics

Substantive Issues

Type of Tobacco Product