Smoker’s Responsibility
* Re “Ojai Woman in Tobacco Suit Calls Award Secondary,” April 13.
I have a great deal of sympathy for Leslie J. Whiteley as she suffers from lung cancer. However, I strongly believe that her $21.7-million judgment is enormously wrong and should be dismissed on appeal.
She unfortunately suffers from the consequence of her own actions repeatedly taken over her lifetime. Not only did everyone know that smoking was unhealthy, and every cigarette pack carried a clear warning label, but she admits that she started smoking at age 13!
Her defense: “Thirteen-year-olds have no common sense. Nor do they have the capability of making a lifelong decision of smoking.”
As cruel as it might seem, my response is, “Duh!” That’s why it was illegal for her to purchase them at that age. At 13, she knew she was “sneaking” a smoke and had to contrive to buy them. She knew right from wrong.
Whiteley’s statement that “once you’re addicted you can’t just stop” is patently false. It may take heroic efforts but people stop smoking successfully all the time.
I’m terribly sorry that she failed. I’m terribly sorry that I haven’t stuck to my diet. Should I prevail against Jack in the Box or Danish Creamery butter in court?
Where will society draw the line with personal responsibility? Apparently, one can shoot up a neighborhood with automatic weapons while trying to run from instigating a bank robbery and avoid the assumption of risk of being shot at in return and perhaps bleeding to death! This concept of victimhood only rewards the trial lawyers.
LELAND P.
HAMMERSCHMITT
Ojai