The Province of Ontario has filed a $50 billion dollar suit against tobacco companies, reports the Toronto Star.
The suit was filed to recover the costs associated with treating smoke-related illnesses going back as far as 1955. If Ontario successfully proves its allegations, tobacco companies will have to pay damages based on their sale of cigarettes in the marketplace.
According to The Star, British Columbia is also suing tobacco companies.
The Ontario government released a statement reminding residents, “Smoking is the number one preventable cause of death in the province, killing 13,000 people a year - or 36 per day - and costs taxpayers $1.6 billion annually.”
- Rachel Spence, Legal Assistant, Toronto
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2 comments:
I live in Alberta and heard a group on the news saying tobacco companies should be footing the bill for the health costs associated with smoking. They said Alberta Health spends about $450 million dollars a year on smoking related problems.
However, checking the Government of Alberta numbers, they pull in about $850 million a year in tobacco taxes. (Ontario pulls in $1.2 Billion a year in taxes.) Where would these governments be without all those additional tax dollars?
No question smoking is bad, but there is no doubt that smokers are covering their own health costs and then some.
Oh for the love of mud... I am no fan of smoking, but enough is enough.
If they really want to stop smoking - ban it. We're on that slippery slope already.
Question - when will it be illegal to smoke in your own backyard? What if your second hand smoke drifts over your 25'city lot into mine and threatens OH MY GOD WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN???'s health?
Next up - don't BBQ that beef.... uhm... or pork... or.. uhm... seakitten.
(Thanks PETA.)
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