Comments on: Escambia Jury Slams RJ Reynolds With $23.6 Billion Verdict

By: Todd

Todd — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 20:50:24 +0000

The bottom line is that the tobacco companies make products that kill people. How anyone can work for them, invest in them or otherwise support them and sleep at night is beyond understanding.

By: Donna

Donna — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 19:17:47 +0000

This entire situation is based on the individual decision to light up a cigarette and allow the poison into your body. I am sorry for her loss but her husband made the decision to smoke even with all of the warnings and evidence that it could kill him. I choose not to smoke but am still exposed to the nasty ill effects of this disgusting habit. Individual responsibility for our actions has to hold a place in society at some point. A simple overhaul of the legal system would solve this tendency to sue because an individual was stupid!!!

By: Mr. Benny

Mr. Benny — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 03:53:51 +0000

I smoked for 25 years. Do you think I could maybe sue the person who held me down for all those years and shoved smokes into my mouth? Been quit for 18 year now, and blame no one but me…………………

By: Danny

Danny — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 02:15:27 +0000

This whole thing with the tobacco industry law suits started in 1994 with the Engle Class Action Suit. The plaintiffs in this suit were awarded $145 billion in punitive damages. This was appealed by the industry and the money was not paid until 2000. Then in 2006 the courts ruled that this was “excessive as a matter of law.” While decertifying the class, the state’s highest court said that factual findings made by the jury in the case would be binding in future smoking cases heard in Florida. That meant that jurors in future cases would have to accept that cigarette makers had misled smokers about the dangers and that smoking was addictive. So in Florida if you smoked, develop cancer or other smoking related disorders, it is not your fault. It is the fault of the tobacco industry. So! How much money you want? Not that I agree with this I feel we need to be responsible for our actions.

By: ProudArmyParent

ProudArmyParent — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 15:36:11 +0000

So where do I sign up to sue those that smoke around me?

Smoking is against the rules where I work. There are designated areas, but still I am confronted with people not obeying the rules. I have often made the statement that if you are smoking where I am then you are not in a designated area, because I won’t be in a designated smoking area.

I have asthma and it is hard enough to breathe some days and these thoughtless people who are killing themselves are trying to take me with them!

So where do I sign up to sue them?

By: Karen

Karen — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 13:29:54 +0000

Go to CNN.com to watch an interview with her about the jury’s award. This is sickening. My mother also passed away as an indirect result of smoking her entire life. She also had COPD but me nor anyone in my family ever gave a thought to suing the tobacco companies and my mom was born in 1935 – not 1960 like Mr. Robinson so I can assure you he was made aware of the dangers at a much younger age! I remember in elementary school being told how harmful cigarettes are to your health and I am only three years younger than him so I KNOW he was informed as well. This is nothing but a scam to make money off of his death!

By: Don

Don — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:25:36 +0000

Well even though she was awarded that amount she most likely will never see a dime after the appeals process that will last forever.

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 05:26:16 +0000

As to why tobacco products are not outlawed, existing voters who smoke would vote against any politician who tried.

Further, many politicians smoke. Few try to outlaw their own vices.
Nor should we forget, President Obama smokes.
If HE can’t stop smoking, think of millions of less principled people needing a nicotine fix. Some would kill to get it.

And that brings up the concept of principles. Limitations on personal freedom should be considered verrrry carefully. Most ignore individual freedom by citing the greater good and the self-imposed expenses of treating suicidal actions

My father knew the dangers and continued anyway. It was his choice and we miss him but he was not a slave to others, only his self-imposed addiction.

Nicotine via vapor provides the fix without most of the toxins and with greatly reduced danger to others.

By: Biscuit

Biscuit — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 03:54:44 +0000

Lookout Whataburger,…..that biscuit -n- gravy is running my blood pressure up….this verdict is as stupid as the rest of our country, goin to hell in a hand basket……….messed up as a chicken-soup sandwich!!!!!

By: Ponch

Ponch — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 02:23:18 +0000

@Todd
Just because you don’t understand something doesn’t mean you have to shun it because it’s different. I will take a plastic stick hanging out of my mouth as opposed to a hole in my throat, complete with a Darth Vader voice box (or worse.) Those people that you see vaping have found a safer alternative to smoking and I applaud them for being able to make the switch. Although a few big tobacco companies have purchased e-cigarette businesses such as Blu, the e-juices are not made or supplied by tobacco companies, but rather smaller organizations that are fighting the FDA to separate vaping from smoking.

It’s not even close to being the same thing (other than nicotine and a cloud of white vapor that looks like smoke) and should not be labeled or taxed like tobacco. It has no offensive smell and second-hand vapor is non-existent. The e-juice contains only 5 ingredients as opposed to cigarettes, which have about 600 ingredients of which 69 are known to cause cancer. When cumbustion happens, those 600 ingredients produce about 7,000 chemicals and poisons being inhaled.

I smoked cigarettes for nearly 20 years. I made the switch to vaping, never looked back and have not had a cigarette in almost 2 years. Vaping changed me for the better and probably saved my life. It could do the same for many others as well.