Damages should not be capped. No limitations should be imposed on punitive damages. We also are concerned about proposed limits on class action lawsuits. The current flight attendants' case on environmental tobacco smoke is an example of why this important legal avenue should not be closed. Now is not the time to settle with the tobacco industry.
Every day brings new revelations about the scope of the industry's conspiracy.
For example, hundreds of thousands of documents have yet to be examined in the discovery process of the State of Minnesota's case alone. The American public deserves access to all relevant information before any settlement. This settlement could leave Americans with the impression that the tobacco issue has been resolved. And, if the tobacco industry's problems are ameliorated in the U.S., the companies then will be free to continue and expand their efforts to addict millions of children abroad. Promoting the export of tobacco-caused addiction, disease and death is truly unacceptable.