Posted on 03/23/2002 6:36:11 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Edited on 09/03/2002 4:50:09 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
A jury ordered Philip Morris to pay $150 million in punitive damages today in a lawsuit that contended low-tar cigarettes are as dangerous as regular ones.
The jury found that Philip Morris had falsely represented that low-tar cigarettes are healthier, the first verdict in the nation to make that finding. The tobacco company said it would appeal.
The jury also awarded $168,000 in compensatory damages to the estate of Michele Schwarz of Salem, who died of lung cancer at age 53 in 1999 after smoking low-tar Merit cigarettes.
(Excerpt) Read more at sunspot.net ...
This such a crock. Everyone with half a brain knows that there are more elements in cigarettes than tar and nicotine. I unfortunately, am a heavy smoker and I have already had problems, but the ultimate responsibility falls on me. No one has ever shoved a cigarette in my face.
I can't believe that juries are still buying this $^*%.
Have had many acute respiratory problems. I am also very allergic and then there are other bugs going around, so not all the problems are caused by smoking per se, however the smoking is exacerbating any other problem that comes along.
Six years ago I was hospitalized for 10 days with pneumonia and asthma--I was pretty much at death's door. The docs told me that while under normal circumstances my pulmonary function is adequate, my pulmonary capacity is impaired. When faced with flu, pneumonia, etc. I am at serious risk.
The hoot of it is, I had a pulmonologist standing there lecturing me about smoking who reeked of tobacco smoke.
I certainly realize that smoking is harmful to me, but again it is MY responsibility.
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