Award to Ex-Smoker

Re “Ex-Smoker Award Sets New Liability Standard,” March 28: I have never smoked in my life and don’t intend to start at age 50. But if there are going to be punitive damages of $20 million assessed because the warning about smoking was insufficient, shouldn’t it have been against the office of the surgeon general? Congress should fish or cut bait--either make tobacco illegal, or let free people be responsible for their own decisions.

ROBERT McARTHUR

Reseda