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Recently a Florida jury awarded $145 billion to more than 300 thousand people who filed a class-action suit against four tobacco companies. How would you assess the decision? DeQua Coleman

First-year

Undeclared

“If people are dumb enough to spend their money on cigarettes, then they get what they pay for. If they’re paying for a cancer stick, then they’re going to get cancer. People should be responsible for their own actions. If they spend their money on the cigarettes then they should get what’s coming to them, that’s the bottom line. The lawsuit was unfair. Why would you sue somebody for something you enjoy? They’ve seen the Surgeon General’s warnings; they should have been aware of the consequences.” Nathan Harkelroad

Fourth-year

Psychology

“I’m all for suing and even taxing the tobacco company; I think they’ve caused a lot of harm to society. The large majority of them are filled with worthless individuals. I’m sure that they have the finances to cover the amount of money they were sued for in the case, so I don’t think it will do much to them anyway. Smoking is a worldwide phenomenon and even if we destroy part of the market here I think it would live on in other parts of the world. The results serve as a punishment to the tobacco industry, since they haven’t informed people of all the consequences of tobacco use.” Anthony Hughes

First-year

Undeclared

“Personally, I’m against smoking because I’ve seen what it can do to you internally and externally, and that changes your whole attitude. Anything that can alter your mind shouldn’t be allowed. When I come up to people I tell them that although I’m not trying to get into their business, they shouldn’t smoke around me since they’re killing me and others slowly but surely. It’s not only the people smoking that are suing, I know that their families are suing as well because they’re seeing loved ones die before their eyes. I think it’s fair that they sue; the tobacco company has a license to kill and I think that should be taken away.” Jean Chang

First-year

Undeclared

“I think that people should take more responsibility for themselves. It’s not like the tobacco industry is forcing anybody to do anything. You’re actually responsible for yourself. To sue them for your own actions is not right; it’s not really ethical. The tobacco industry should appeal the decision and it should go their way. If you say that the people should get that much money then that’s going to allow people to sue for so many different things, like for selling guns.” Katy Tschann-Grimm

First-year

Geophysics

“The tobacco industry has been using their addiction power in order to make money. They are obviously only after money and don’t care about health. They need to pay for health just like auto industries need to pay when people get hurt from car crashes and defective cars. The lawsuit was for a lot of money, but I also hear that a lot of people die, so it evens out at the end. Overall, the tobacco industry needs to figure out how to make their products less addictive and how to cause less health problems.” Stephanie Chang

First-year

World arts and culture

“If you choose to smoke then you shouldn’t be allowed to sue a company because it would make little sense. Think about it. You choose to put harmful stuff into your body, why in the world should they pay you for making yourself sick? It’s not their problem that you chose to smoke. It’s ridiculous to sue them in the first place. It would be different if you were forced to smoke or forcibly intoxicated, but its something that you decide to do.” Compiled by CUAUHTEMOC ORTEGA, Daily Bruin Staff. Photos by MINDY ROSS and NICOLE MILLER/Daily Bruin Senior Staff. Web Adaptation by ROBERT LIU/Daily Bruin Senior Staff

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