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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tobacco firm shares hit after record Canadian court fines of £8bn | Tobacco firm shares hit after record Canadian court fines of £8bn |
| (7 months later) | |
| Shares in British and American tobacco companies have been hit by a Canadian court ruling requiring three tobacco companies to pay billions to Quebec smokers who claimed they were not warned about the health risks of smoking. | Shares in British and American tobacco companies have been hit by a Canadian court ruling requiring three tobacco companies to pay billions to Quebec smokers who claimed they were not warned about the health risks of smoking. |
| British American Tobacco, which owns Imperial Tobacco Canada, saw shares down 1 per cent, or around 50p, when markets opened in London on Tuesday. BAT is only party to the proceedings through its Imperial Tobacco Canada subsidiary. | British American Tobacco, which owns Imperial Tobacco Canada, saw shares down 1 per cent, or around 50p, when markets opened in London on Tuesday. BAT is only party to the proceedings through its Imperial Tobacco Canada subsidiary. |
| Imperial Tobacco, Rothmans Benson & Hedges and JTI-MacDonald vowed to appeal against fines amounting to C$15.5 billion (£8.1 billion). It is the largest award for damages in the country’s history. | Imperial Tobacco, Rothmans Benson & Hedges and JTI-MacDonald vowed to appeal against fines amounting to C$15.5 billion (£8.1 billion). It is the largest award for damages in the country’s history. |
| The three companies have argued that Canadians have had a ‘high awareness’ of smoking health risks since the fifties. | The three companies have argued that Canadians have had a ‘high awareness’ of smoking health risks since the fifties. |
| However the Quebec Superior Court ruled that the tobacco companies did not properly warn smokers and failed in their general duty ‘not to cause injury to another person’. | However the Quebec Superior Court ruled that the tobacco companies did not properly warn smokers and failed in their general duty ‘not to cause injury to another person’. |
| The plaintiffs represent nearly one million smokers who were unable to quit or who suffer from throat or lung cancer, or emphysema. | The plaintiffs represent nearly one million smokers who were unable to quit or who suffer from throat or lung cancer, or emphysema. |