Civil suit against 'Big Tobacco' for throat/heart disease

It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out that Marlboro is bad for your health. Nicotine after all is an addictive stimulant. *Puff*

Depends on which one.

The original lawsuits against big tobacco were based on their marketing practices, extolling the "health" benefits of their product, both mental and physical, despite tobacco executives being well aware of the dangers inherant in their product.

The second series of lawsuits tended to focus on the non-tobacco additives to cigarettes, with once again the focus being on the cavalier indifference of tobacco executives to the effect of their actions.

In my view, the tobacco companies should be held accountable for those actions.

The more recent lawsuits are less easily categorized, but the first and second waves are not, in my view, ridiculous at all.

When a person smokes, they are doing it themselves. Nobody is forcing that cigarette down their throat. Pretty silly to sue the tobacco company for a decision one makes on their own. A person has to take responsibility for their own actions.

Common sense should tell a person that inhaling anything deliberately is idiotic.

When in the history of man has breathing smoke been good for oneself??
THAT, my friends, is the golden question.

Again, maybe people shouldn't be so stupid. But tobacco companies should be held accountable for misinformation, even if it only fools idiots.

If this lawsuit came around in the first half of the 20th century, then it wouldn't be a problem because no one really knew of the dangers of smoking. Now that we know better, these lawsuits shouldn't have to come out. People should have enough common sense to know that smoking is BAD FOR ONE'S HEALTH!

I am in complete agreement with TJGypsy2 on this one. I believe with all my heart that people who became hooked on smoking back in the days when it was being touted as a way to relax while nothing was ever disclosed concerning the ingredients were truly victims. It took years to expose the self-serving actions and outright lies of the tobacco industry and, I am certain that they would still be under wraps if there were any way they could possibly pull it off. But, its too late for them now because the rat is out of the sewer. So now they have nothing left to do except try to back peddle and act as though they really care if future generations become hooked on the thing that supports their cushy lifestyle. As far as Im concerned, thats like saying, No, dont jump. as they slowly nudge the person to the end of the cliff. Cigarettes are death on a stick and nothing more and tobacco companies provide nothing that could be even mildly interpreted as worthwhile unless youre out to commit slow suicide. My wish for them are many, many lawsuits frivolous, serious, valid, invalid but always very, very expensive. That and they can all rot in bloody*hell*.

Smoking is gross don't do it if you want to die.

The heading on this one needs to be more specific. While it's true that there are currently warning labels on all tobacco products, that wasn't always the case. There was a time when tobacco products were sold as healthy to consumers. The initial lawsuit on behalf of older smokers sought damages for false advertising and misinformation, because they claimed that the tobacco companies knew they were selling a poisonous product. THAT lawsuit I felt was completely justified. However, I have no sympathy for the younger smokers (IE, those who started AFTER the warnings were put on the products), and do not feel that they are entitled to anything, since they've known the dangers since they started.

*Surgeon Generals warning that cigarette smoking causing lung cancer and other health problems*