The Supreme Court has rejected Philip Morris USA's appeal of a $25 million punitive damages award to the family of a dead smoker in Oregon.
The justices on Monday are leaving in place a state appeals court ruling that likened the cigarette maker's role in smoker Michelle Schwarz's death to manslaughter under Oregon law, had the case been pursued in criminal court.
TVNL Comment: Reminder: this is the only product that - if used as directed - will kill you. The product has no purpose other than to addict the user. And yet, it is freely available to all the youngsters who are the primary target to replace the nearly half million Americans who die of smoking-related illnesses every year.