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Canada has told tobacco firms to pay smokers over €11 billion

But the companies say they’ll appeal.

A CANADIAN COURT has ordered tobacco firms to pay CA$15.5 billion (€11.3 billion) to smokers who claimed they were never warned about health risks.

Imperial Tobacco Canada, Rothmans, Benson & Hedges and JTI-MacDonald all said they would appeal the award for moral and punitive damages, which is the largest in Canadian history.

The two class action suits were originally filed in 1998, but only made it to trial recently. The cases represent nearly one million smokers who were unable to quit or who suffer from throat or lung cancer, or emphysema.

The plaintiffs argued that the companies neglected to properly warn their customers about the dangers of smoking, and failed in their general duty “not to cause injury to another person,” according to the Quebec Superior Court decision.

The companies said the court’s decision is not supported by the evidence presented at trial, and vowed to try to overturn it on appeal.

“Since the 1950s, Canadians have had a very high awareness of the health risks of smoking,” JTI-Macdonald said in a statement.

“That awareness has been reinforced by the health warnings printed on every legal cigarette package for more than 40 years.”

Read: Most of us don’t realise severe obesity is as dangerous as smoking

Read: How do you get smokers to quit? Pay them

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33 Comments
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    Mute Colin Treacy
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:09 AM

    Well done on a fabulous month of prizes. Many more happy years to you all on the Journal.

    62
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    Mute Declan Carr
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:09 AM

    They were all great prizes, well done .

    38
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    Mute Dan Higgins
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:05 AM

    Liked and shared hun xoxo

    33
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    Mute noodlez
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:39 AM

    WOW incredible prize it would be a fantastic way to start 2016

    31
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    Mute catkins407
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    Oct 31st 2015, 9:49 AM

    Well I won natin! I like to think that it’s because I’m one of life’s great winners generally and don’t need fabulous prizes. This is my story and I’m sticking with it ok?

    20
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    Mute Paul Dunne
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:40 AM

    was on royal Caribbean a couple of weeks ago fantastic stuff altogether.

    19
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    Mute Kathleen Henderson
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:17 AM

    Take me on A Sunday Holidays Royal Carrabean Cruise….please

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    Mute Brianog2
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:53 AM

    Happy Halloween everybody.

    8
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    Mute Shane Freeney
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:42 AM

    Oh yes please !

    7
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    Mute The Viking
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:26 AM

    Now that would be nice.. !!!!!

    7
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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:20 AM

    for the grand finale I hope one of your regular commenters win ! x

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Oct 31st 2015, 9:06 AM

    ha ha , I was talking about all regular commenters !

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    Mute Jonathan McKee
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    Oct 31st 2015, 10:31 AM

    great prizes all month and what a way to finish :-)

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    Mute Kevin Halpin
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    Oct 31st 2015, 12:04 PM

    Never once twigged after entering a lot of these competitions that I was sending it to the wrong email address. Where’s that Delorean

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    Mute Little Diddy No
    Favourite Little Diddy No
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    Oct 31st 2015, 12:09 PM

    Pick your time carefully if you win – extreme heatwaves hotter than ever in human history on this planet predicted for this area! http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/26/extreme-heatwaves-could-push-gulf-climate-beyond-human-endurance-study-shows

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    Mute Jack Mitchell
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    Oct 31st 2015, 12:36 PM

    Amazing price. Good luck too everyone

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    Mute Teresa O'Meara
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    Oct 31st 2015, 7:43 PM

    Entered everyday… I have a feeling I didn’t win anything cos they were waiting to give me this hum dinger of a prize at the end!!!! One can hope!!!!

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    Mute Little Diddy No
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    Oct 31st 2015, 12:07 PM

    Reminds me of this hysterical video of a New Zealand cruise ship caught in a massive storm! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj9gq6um3FE

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    Mute Anto Curran
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:37 AM

    *awaits waddlers copy and paste about neo – liberal holiday destinations*

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    Mute Lily
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    Oct 31st 2015, 10:33 AM

    Considering I get really bad motion sickness this would be my worst nightmare, fitting for the day that’s in it.

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    Mute Sandra Turner
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    Oct 31st 2015, 11:14 AM

    Hope you win Hun x

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    Mute Lily
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    Oct 31st 2015, 7:24 PM

    Not in, can’t win. :)

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    Mute Liam Brophy
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    Oct 31st 2015, 10:16 AM

    deadly

    1
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