Philip Morris Trial over Light Cigarettes

On Tuesday, a Missouri judge declared a mistrial in a lawsuit against Philip Morris concerning the perceived safety of light cigarettes. The case pitted smokers against tobacco giant Philip Morris. Damages would have amounted to $700 million, and anyone in Missouri who smoked Marlboro Lights cigarettes would have been eligible for thousands of dollars. It took 11 years for the case to get a jury. The trial was held to determine if Philip Morris should pay up for deceiving smokers. The smokers who filed the suit say the company intentionally manipulated the design and content of Marlboro Lights to maximize nicotine delivery while falsely claiming lowered tar and nicotine.

Smoking Damaged Monroe Home

Investigators say careless smoking tobacco is to blame for an early morning house fire Friday that caused extensive damage to a home outside of Monroe. The fire was reported shortly before 2 a.m. in the 18000 block of 117th Street SE, Snohomish. Flames were crawling over the two-story wood home by the time firefighters arrived, Snohomish County Fire District 3 battalion chief Leroy Schwartz said. A father was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation but did not need to go to the hospital, said Bruce Pulver, a Snohomish County deputy fire marshal. The family was put in contact with the Snohomish County Chapter of the American Red Cross for help.