Tobacco update

First original jury punitive award to be upheld in full in the decision of the Oregon Court of Appeals to reinstate the award in respect of Jesse Williams who died in 1997 after heavy smoking since the 1950s. Cut from US$79.5mn to US$32mn on Philip Morris’s appeal in 1999, the original award was reinstated by jury decision on the grounds of fraudulent concealment of the dangers of smoking. Philip Morris to seek ‘further review’ of the case.