WEST PALM BEACH — Mary Tullo was convinced her husband’s life was cut short by the greed of cigarette-makers. On Wednesday, a Palm Beach County jury agreed, ordering three tobacco giants to pay the 87-year-old Lake Worth widow $2.47 million for causing the 1998 death of her husband from lung cancer. A stunned Mary Tullo hugged her attorneys and cried. “My children,” she said of why she pursued the case. “I wanted to gi ... Jump to full article >>

R.J. Reynolds is asking the Florida Supreme Court to overturn a $30 million award to the widow of a long-time smoker of Lucky Strikes. The cigarette maker is appealing a December appeals court decision upholding the verdict awarding $30 million – the highest award since the historic Engle decision -to Matilde Martin. The appeal was filed in the Florida Supreme Court today. Martin, whose husband Benny died of lung cancer after smoking for more ... Jump to full article >>

A lawyer who went for his usual cigarette break out of the first-floor window of his apartment was detained by police who mistakenly thought he was a suicidal jumper, according to a lawsuit. Mark Moody was talking on his mobile phone and enjoying a smoke on the ledge when two policemen asked if he was trying to kill himself, even though he was just 12ft from the ground. The 40-year-old said they were mistaken but the officers were undeterred, re ... Jump to full article >>

A Connecticut smoker who developed larynx cancer has won $8 million in a lawsuit against a tobacco company, the first such jury verdict in New England, her attorney said Thursday. David Golub, attorney for Barbara Izzarelli of Norwich, said Thursday a federal jury in Bridgeport made the award late Wednesday against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. after a two-week trial. He said a judge will decide additional punitive damages next month which could bri ... Jump to full article >>

A Suffolk County jury today rejected a Boston woman’s claim that her real estate broker misled her by concealing that a resident in the condominium below the one she bought for $405,000 smoked cigarettes. After deliberating for less than an hour, the 14-member jury sided with the broker, Joseph DeAngelo, and his employer, Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, over the plaintiff, Alyssa Burrage, according to Jay S. Gregory, the lawye ... Jump to full article >>

Smokers may evade the indoor smoking ban by sneaking puffs, but evading the tobacco tax is more dangerous. The 50 percent tax hike last February increased the cost of a pack of cigarettes and smokers, like most savvy consumers looking for a deal, are finding cheaper packs can be bought on the black market. The poorest class is always the most vulnerable to fake products or drugs, and with knowledge that the tobacco hike is increasing black-marke ... Jump to full article >>

On the first day of 2010, smokers from tobacco-loving Virginia and North Carolina as well as nine other states would be smoking only those cigarettes that comply with new fire safety standards. Among 11 states where the legislation to require usage of fire-safe cigarettes only entered into effect on January, 1st are: Alabama, Michigan, Virginia, Georgia, Arkansas, Nebraska, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, Missouri and North Carol ... Jump to full article >>

If you are a smoker, you must know that not only nicotine harms your health. Lung cancer and other health problems are caused by Cigarettes. Cigarette companies thus try to decrease tar level in cigarettes, but it is impossible to just throw it away. Tobacco can’t be grown to contain only nicotine, and there are no methods of tobacco refinement that is capable of removing those carcinogenic elements. However, while there is no way to grow toba ... Jump to full article >>

For one in three sports fans, watching the game and lighting up a cigarette go hand in hand. And those are the fans an anti- smoking group hopes to reach during the World Series. REPORTER: He’s stealing cars for his smoke break. She’s making margaritas at her desk. A humorous look at a serious subject and the excuses made. CHERYL YATES: As any smoker, ex-smoker can tell you.. You need no reason to smoke, any reason is good. REPORTER ... Jump to full article >>

No one makes more money from tobacco sales than governments do — not tobacco farmers or small tobacco retailers or even tobacco companies. Last year in Canada, federal and provincial governments took in over $7-billion from tobacco taxes. The combined net income of tobacco growers and tobacco companies, on the other hand, was just over $1-billion. Yet the federal government, through the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, is also one of ... Jump to full article >>