For sometime now, the inept, the ignorant and the lazy have jumped on the Big Tobacco gravy train in an attempt to extract vast financial sums from the much maligned and hated Tobacco companies.

Howard Engle of Miami, Florida was no exception when he filed his lawsuit against the Liggett Group. Plaintiffs like Engle have frequently claimed that they were misled by the Tobacco industry into believing that smoking poses no health risks for its users. They claim that the Tobacco concealed this information from their customers in a bid to maintain and grow their customer base, and thus their profits.

Howard Engle sued and won a record $195 billion in a Florida court. The award and the case itself has no basis in fact. While, there is no debate that smoking poses a serious health risk for those to take up the habit, but to claim that this reality was unknown to the general public is ludicrous. Its even far more ridiculous when one considers the fact that Howard Engle is a doctor.

Since 1964, the dangers of smoking have been well documented. In that year the US Surgeon General documented the health risks posed by smoking. Even before that report the dangers of smoking were well known, especially in the medical community. In 1957, the Surgeon General reported that there was clearly a link between smoking and Lung Cancer, this sharp increase in cancer among smokers had been noted as early as the 1920s. If anything Dr. Engle should be condemned for being ignorant of medical history. Certainly he was not entitled to this grotesque award and it was indeed fitting that the Florida Supreme Court has now thrown out the ridiculous award.

Engle, like the rest of society must accept that there are consequences for poor decision making. Engle chose to smoke, fully aware of the risks and as a result he now has emphysema. He is to blame not the cigarette makers, no more than an obese person has a legitimate grounds to sue a fast food maker. Personal responsibility is the principle cause for Mr. Engle’s problems and he and he alone should pay for them.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/florida-judges-crush-195b-tobacco-payout/2006/07/07/1152240494069.html