Ever since European explorers first brought tobacco back from the Americas, cigarettes and other forms of tobacco have consistently earned massive profits, despite the risks they pose to human health. Elizabeth I recognized how lucrative the tobacco trade was when she commented to Sir Walter Raleigh:
“I have known many persons who turned their gold into smoke, but you are the first to turn smoke into gold.”
On October 31, 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases, Philip Morris USA v. Williams and Lawrence v. Florida, which deal with the application of punitive damages in lawsuits against tobacco companies. Over the last several years, many people whose health was harmed by smoking have sued the tobacco companies, often winning huge amounts of money in damages. Despite these legal cases and the ongoing negative publicity that has been directed at cigarette manufacturers, tobacco is still a big business—some 45 million Americans today are still smokers.
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