Philip Morris has been told to pay USD 9.7 million for its role in a Massachusetts smoker’s lung cancer, Courtroom View Network reported.

The Middlesex County Superior Court jury found, after deliberating for more than 8 hours, that Philip Morris’ involvement in a conspiracy to hide the dangers of smoking ultimately led to Patricia Greene developing lung cancer in 2013. Philip Morris must now pay Greene USD 9.7 million, including compensation of USD 6.5 million for her pain and suffering.
The Public Health Advocacy Institute’s Michael Weisman represented Greene and during the courts closing procedure, he requested more than USD 29.4 million in compensation. The jury found Philip Morris liable on conspiracy claims, although they cleared the other charges facing the company, including a breach of merchantability warrant claim against Philip Morris and the supermarket chain Star Markets.
According to Courtroom View Network, Greene, 61, had been a long-term smoker and claimed her cancer and subsequent kidney failure caused by the chemotherapy she was receiving were caused by cigarettes Philip Morris knew to be dangerous and addictive. The trial focused on who bore responsibility for Greene’s smoking and Weisman argued that Philip Morris had worked in conjunction with other companies to undercut public health information on the dangers of cigarettes. Weisman was quoted as saying, “They got together, they formed a conspiracy to deny the health charge, even though they knew that smoking was dangerous and nicotine was addictive.”