Tell me if you think this is stupid
So, in my province, British Columbia, the Supreme Court has decided that it will sue Tobacco companies for 50 years of damage done to smokers by smoking.
50 years!
The Supreme Court ruled that the Tobacco companies willfully sold a product that has both long term and short term effects that can cause many things, including death. Wow, that is a revelation, isn't it folks?
THe Supreme Court ALSO said that it will sue on behalf of the patients that have been recieving medical care under our system that are found due to smoking. Aha, this is where it gets really interesting. Over 100,000 people are treated for smoking or smoking-related reasons every year and it looks like the government is tired of footing the bill. Now, I can see both sides of this story. You have people that smoke, and all of them know it is bad for them. But, gosh, it is addictive. I don't pass judgement, I have one hell of a World of Warcraft addiction.
Cancer, being the most prelevent result of smoking is also on the rise. Since smoking and cancer are directly related, the Government has decided that it needs the tobacco companies to start footing the bill. After all, if a company or group of companies are going to put something out that is purposely poison, shouldn't they have some responcibility?
Well, 50 years ago, no one knew that smoking was bad for you. Understandably, there weren't twenty year studies on the effects back then, especally when a product is new.
So, yes, I can understand people seeking retribution of the people that poisoned them. As far as the government getting into it, I'm really not impressed. I see it as a way to ease the pressure of funding for our healthcare system, which is dying slowly. I could understand that, even, except for one little thing: The Government has been taking millions upon millions of tax dollars a year in on cigarettes for a long time. 50 years or so, I suppose. Two years ago, the Canadian government put a new set of taxes on cigarettes that rose the price about three dollars a pack on a average. I suppose that was a effort to get some people to quit, but it didn't really work. People, as with any addiction, end up doing something bad for them anyway.
So, after collecting all this money and, in a way, giving their support, they turn around and say "yeah, people are dying and it's costing us money, you need to give us some now." If it was really such a biggie, why don't they make them illegal? Oh, that is right, they make a ton of money off them..the cycle continues. I just see how people can justify that kind of lawsuit.
There will bge a part two to this, but the work bell to go home has sounded. More later.