| Smoking has long been thought to cause a number of | | | | understanding of the risks of smoking. |
| serious health problems, but most cigarette companies | | | | While the class action ruling against tobacco |
| often deceived the public and the government about | | | | companies de-certified and dismissed, this is actually |
| the true danger of their products. In fact, after | | | | beneficial to individual smokers because now they can |
| decades of marketing cigarettes as safe, even | | | | file lawsuits on their own behalf to recover extensive |
| healthy, the truth began to trickle out. By 2006, a | | | | damages. |
| Florida Supreme Court adopted a number of findings | | | | Florida smokers are in a unique position to capitalize on |
| that will form the foundation of further smoking litigation | | | | this recent decision. While the initial objective of the |
| cases. These findings include: | | | | Florida smokers class action lawsuit was to allow large |
| Florida Supreme Court, No. SC03-1856 Engle vs. | | | | groups of smokers to band together and get |
| Liggett Group, page 8 | | | | compensation for their injuries and hardship, individual |
| - At present, the nicotine found in tobacco is deemed | | | | lawsuits can now actually provide more restitution for |
| to be addictive | | | | victims of the greed and deception of tobacco |
| - The defendants (i.e. the cigarette and tobacco | | | | companies. |
| companies) made available defective cigarettes that | | | | The laws surrounding Florida tobacco law are |
| were "unreasonably dangerous" | | | | intentionally confusing and complicated. The tobacco |
| - The defendants intentionally mislead smokers with | | | | companies hope that the perceived difficulties of these |
| deliberately false statements intended to deceive them | | | | legal actions will frustrate and deter victims from |
| about the dangers of smoking | | | | pursing the proper avenues for justice. The labor and |
| - Defendants prevented their customers from learning | | | | work of dedicated legal professionals means that it is |
| about the health effects and addictive nature of | | | | easier than ever to file a claim in Florida, but there is |
| cigarettes by deliberately concealing and omitting | | | | only a limited amount of time for potential litigants to |
| material that would have helped them form a better | | | | take action. |