Did smokers consent to the risk? Is Big Tobacco liable?

Published June 1992
When Rose Cipollone began smoking 44 years ago, there were no health warning on cigarette packets. Rose is now dead. She died of lung cancer caused by smoking in 1984.

Her family sued and a jury awarded her family $400,000. Last week the US Supreme Court upheld the award.

The ruling caused some wild speculation about the legal liability of tobacco companies for the thousands of deaths caused by tobacco each year in Australia. Anti-smoking groups imagined an orderly queue of bereaved families at the courtroom door seeking damages for the death of loved ones who foolishly smoked their lives away.
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1992_07_june_bond

Former millionaire Alan Bond is using his time in jail to learn computer word-processing and to help others in jail “”to understand their full potential”.

Mr Bond revealed this is a reply to a Canberra businessman, Gil Miller, thanking him for his support.

Mr Bond said that during his visit to Royal Perth Hospital it was confirmed that he would need to have a heart valve replaced in the next 12 months.

Mr Miller, who runs the Fisher takeaway shop, wrote to Mr Bond in Woorloo jail in Western Australia. Mr Miller wrote “”as a self-employed person” giving Mr Bond his support saying, “”despite the hardship, there is something comforting about the knowledge that you are not dependant on another to hand you a pay cheque at the end of the day.”
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