Tobacco.org

• Decision reserved in smoking case 

The court action against two tobacco companies, on behalf of lung cancer victim Janice Pou, closed in the High Court at Auckland yesterday.

Janice Pou died of lung cancer in 2002, aged 51, but her children, Brandon and Kasey Pou, last year won the right to continue their mother's battle to claim more than $310,000 in damages against British American Tobacco (NZ) and WD & HO Wills.

Justice Graham Lang yesterday reserved his decision. . . .

ASH director Becky Freeman said Mrs Pou and her family were also battling an interesting social phenomenon - a public that at times seemed to be backing the tobacco industry.

"People seem to be very reluctant to point the finger at cigarette companies," she said, "even though they have been responsible for the deaths of around 170,000 New Zealanders over the past 50 years."

Jump to full article »