Jury awards ex-smoker $28 billion (1 Viewer)

[Anders Englund]

A burger is a burger and is bad for you whether you get it from McDonalds or from your own kitchen.

Well, I'd say the fries are the actual baddies. Burgers per se aren't that bad. Sure, not exactly healthy, but not that bad.

But I digress: My father has been smoking for, well ever. Me and my brother have been constantly bugging him about how bad it is, but he just can't/won't quit.

Now my brother smokes too. Do I think that they're stupid? No, but I think smoking is bloody stupid. But if lung cancer or whatever struck, I surely wouldn't hold the tobacco companies responsible. They provide a product. A stupid, addictive product, I admit, but that's it. They don't make the choise to smoke for you.

If you can't take responsibility for your own actions, you shouldn't be allowed to anything without permission!

--Anders

 

[Charles J P]

My opinions have been stated and as a non-smoker with two parents and two grandparents that smoke and have since long before any warnings were issued you can probably tell where I stand. However, I agree with Bruce on the point that its ironic that humans run out of a burning building, but then light a roll of leaves on fire and inhale the smoke :frowning: . I dont know what the right answer is, but I do think that the tabacco companies should be held responsible for their lies, if not for the current political conditions on the subject.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

but I do think that the tabacco companies should be held responsible for their lies, if not for the current political conditions on the subject.

Yes, a company should be held responsible for their lies. I think the thing we need to get at here is that there's a harsh lesson we're learning here that goes far beyond just smoking and tobacco companies: irregardless of whether or not you're directly responsible for a thought or action, simple association alone will hold you liable. It's possible that the CEO's and employees of tobacco companies today aren't the same as the ones who made the decisions years ago, but they have to pay for the mistakes made on behalf of their associates, whether we think such a concept is right or wrong.