Can anybody refresh my memory (of the terms and conditions) of the settlement between the tobacco companies and the US Government? I was in the US Army, and became addicted to tobacco (as a result of both the Red Cross and the Army PX pushing cigarettes upon the soldiers). If I now come down with lung cancer, can I sue the US Army and red Cross? Seems both organizations KNOWINGLY promoted an item which they knew to be harmful. Would such a lawsuit be worth much?
The settlement was with the individual states, not the US gov.
And I’m appalled that you would we willing to participate in some exsanguinating shakedown for your own bad decisions.
They didn’t promote anything. They made it available.
Tobacco companies, on the other hand, did promote the product, through advertising.
There’s the difference.
Not to mention that the tobacco companies knew about the dangers and lied about them for years. If there is a hell, these guys are going.
Yeah, but does anybody really believe those lies. I mean, maybe 50 years ago, yeah. But are there people who do not know that cigarettes are bad for your health. Do they not watch tv, read the side of the packs, etc., etc…
IMO, it’s the fault of the smoker, who knew what he was getting into.
As I suggested in the “suing an industry” thread, the government, the farmers, the retailers, and the smokers all bear plenty of responsibilty for the effects of smoking. It is not reasonable to expect a company to bad-mouth its own product any more than it is forced to. Aren’t the plaintiffs in these cases lying when they say they didn’t know they were addictive and bad for you? Cigarette companies didn’t invent tobacco. There’s no secret formula (with some exceptions). The courts and the public are siezing on the the fact that the companies witheld what they knew to scapegoat them.