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Sue cigarette companies: Minister
Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena yesterday appealed to family members of those who had died of smoking-related ailments to sue the Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) taking a cue from a US Court ruling that the tobacco company should pay US$23.6 billion (nearly Rs.3000 billion) to the victim’s wife.“I am disappointed with the recent court ruling that only 60% of the surface area of cigarette packets be covered with pictorial warnings despite all 225 members of Parliament that 80% of the surface area be covered with such warnings,” the minister said adding that the Health Ministry would continue its fight to increase the surface area to be covered to 80%.
The minister said family members of victims of smoking-related diseases such as oral cancer, respiratory diseases and lung cancer should sue the CTC for compensation either individually or as a group.
He said the Health Ministry was ready to help them in any way possible.
“They must prove their case with medical and circumstantial evidence. We will continue our struggle to save our people from the menace of smoking and tobacco and we offer our fullest cooperation and assistance to anyone who is prepared to sue the CTC for compensation,” the minister said.
He said agents of the multinational CTC came to Sri Lanka during the trial against the pictorial warnings in support of the company without thought for the 21,000 Sri Lankans who die annually from smoking related diseases.
A US court ordered Reynolds Tobacco Co. -- the country's second largest cigarette maker, to pay a record US$23.6 billion to the widow of a cancer victim.
Michael Johnson is said to have smoked the company’s Kool brand menthol cigarettes for more than 20 years before dying of lung cancer in 1996 at the age of 36.
His widow, Cynthia Robinson sued Reynolds in 2008, seeking compensation for her husband's death. She argued that the company conspired to conceal the health hazards associated with its menthol cigarettes.
The minister said the Health Ministry fight alcoholism by introducing a ‘National Alcohol Policy’ in the next two months. (Sandun A Jayasekera)
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