History of Tobacco Lawsuits
There has been a long history of lawsuits against tobacco companies. Smokers and their families have been suing tobacco companies since the 1950’s. However, until recently these lawsuits were almost entirely unsuccessful.
Early on, tobacco companies were able to argue that smoking did not cause many of the illnesses we now associate with tobacco use. However, the science improved, and several illnesses were linked to smoking. As a result, the tobacco companies changed their approach. They argued that since smoking is a personal choice, they should not be liable for any resulting injuries.
That argument has lost its effectiveness. Plaintiffs are now able to produce documents showing that cigarettes are addictive. These documents also show that tobacco companies were long aware of, and worked to enhance, this addictive nature. Since this calls into question whether continued smoking is truly a personal choice, many recent lawsuits have been successful against tobacco companies. The resulting awards are often very high.
State governments have also sued tobacco companies. In 1994, Mississippi filed the first lawsuit by a state for damages related to smoking. Several other states soon filed their own lawsuits. In 1998, 46 states agreed to a settlement in which the tobacco companies agreed to pay about $250 billion over 25 years.
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Last Modified: 06-25-2009 03:42 PM PDT
