An appeal court in Canada upheld Friday a conviction against a number of tobaksselskaber, who must pay around 81 billion dollars to smokers, because they were not warned about the health risks of smoking.
It writes the AFP news agency.
the Compensation will go to about 100,000 smokers and former smokers in the canadian province of Quebec, who had brought a large class action lawsuit.
According to the group, had the tobacco companies since the 1950s known that smoking was a health hazard and a carcinogen without warning the consumers about it. Some of them have smoked since the 1960s.
The three losers in the case are the canadian subsidiaries to the giants British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco International.
the Action has been brought all the way back in 1998 and has since been on tour in the canadian legal system.
Friday’s appeal was on the basis of a judgment in 2015, when the tobacco companies were ordered to pay 74 billion. In the meantime, there is imposed interest on seven billion.
the Lawyers from the winning camp. expresses great satisfaction with the decision, while the tobacco companies believe that the smokers were aware of what smoking can do to health.
– We are disappointed by today’s decision. As the judgment in the lower court showed, so was canadian consumers aware of the risk associated with tobacco. It should not be held accountable for, says spokesman Eric Gagnon of Imperial Tobacco Canada to the AFP.
Tobacco companies have the option to appeal to Canada’s supreme court, which some of them chews on. It must be done within a month.
