I'm not a cold-hearted individual, despite sarcastic and insensitive tendencies when faced with the following story.
An L.A. jury has just awarded the daughter of a longtime smoker 13.8 million dollars in punitive damages.
The victim, Betty Bullock, died of lung cancer in 2003, but before she passed, filed a lawsuit against Phillip Morris USA for fraud and product liability.
If the name or case sounds familiar, it was seven years ago a jury awarded Betty a record 28 billion dollars in damages, until a judge reduced it to 28 million.
An appeals court reversed that decision last year, an ordered a new trial which produced today's award.
If it gets dragged out another six years, the award might vanish completely.
And I believe that would be the right decision.
I'm not one who gets all wrapped up in talk of addictions.
For example when I was younger I drank. I drank quite a bit at times. I drank quite often.
I then got married and slowed down.
We had kids and I slowed down even more.
Now there is dust on the bottles in my liquor cabinet and expired beer cans in the mini-fridge.
I enjoy a glass of wine or two at dinner with my wife, and the occasional beer or two during football season or my annual guys weekend in Las Vegas.
I don't get the shakes, I don't sit around craving alcohol... I never have and probably never will.
I smoked when I was younger and, the way I see it, grew out of it.
No one forced me to do any of those things. It was my choice. I knew all the warnings and read all the labels.
I didn't blame anyone then for my choices and I wouldn't now.
I understand that some people feel they are prisoners to such vices, I just don't understand the "addiction" or "disease".
I'm kinda like Tommy Lasorda.
The old Dodger skipper was talking to a small collection of reporters (me included) during opening day back in the mid-90's, when he was asked about Daryl Strawberry's suspension for cocaine addition.
Tommy lashed out saying it was a "weakness", not a disease and not an addiction.
I'm from this school of thought. Smoking is not illegal. You know the risks. You understand the consequences.
Now they want to make marijuana legal. I say let them. You know the risks. You understand the consequences.
But it won't stop someone from screaming "fraud" when faced with the possibility of death.
It's cold, it's final and it's something you can't rationalize with once it comes knocking at the door.
That's your final reward.
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This reward for a smoker is like you said, hopefully vanished before she ever see's any money from this rediculous law suit. The people today take for granted what we can and cannot do, for instance smoking in public places. My mother never smoked but has a desease from second hand smoke and can hardly breathe when there is a fire in the air, or bad climate, smokers around, ETC. I feel bad for her because she lives in the worst air quality places and has to use a inhaler but never smoked. If anything she could sue but we were not raised like that. I think people get Lawyers to do their dirty work, but then sometimes when people are at fault then they are good for the community. They should have a tight leash and have guidelines and rules for the people who cannot afford a retainer fee and fight dirty like the other parties. At least Phillip Morris has Attorney's. I for instance have to fight an EX wife who believes in Lying to get her way and destroy a family and children, regarding the Marijuana I say no one has died from using it and that is likely to help people calm down and stop illegally pursuing across borders and coast lines.
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