[JURIST] The Quebec Court of Appeal Tuesday began hearing an appeal challenging the constitutionality of Canada's 1997 Tobacco Act. Lawyers for Canada's three largest tobacco companies told the court that the law, which bans tobacco sponsorship, restricts advertising and requires large warnings on cigarette packs, effectively constitutes a total ban on advertising. In a 1995 decision, the Supreme Court of Candada ruled that total bans on advertising are unconstitutional. During the five-day hearing, the federal government, the Canadian Cancer Society and anti-tobacco advocates will argue that the law permits informative advertising and is constitutionally valid. The Canadian Press has more. The Canadian Cancer Society provides background on the case, including a summary of its argument.