Cancer victim wins legal fight against tobacco giant

The ruling by the California Supreme Court also marks the first time the court has upheld a damages award in a smoking and health case. The court dismissed an appeal by Philip Morris USA of a $10.5m judgment made against it by the San Francisco Superior Court in February 1999, reports the Los Angeles Times. Patricia Henley Reyes said she had created a foundation and planned to use most of her award to support anti-smoking campaigns and help children with respiratory ailments. Reyes was the first of four California lung cancer victims to win sizable verdicts against cigarette makers. A new trial has been ordered in one of the cases, and the two others are in various stages of appeal. Full report in the Los Angeles Times