“Smoking may or may not kill”
The head of Imperial Tobacco admitted yesterday there was no such thing as a “safe cigarette.”
Defending Imperial Tobacco at the Court of Session in Edinburgh yesterday, CEO Gareth Davies said smokers were more likely to develop serious diseases such as lung cancer.
But he qualified his remarks by saying that smoking did not necessarily “cause” lung cancer.
He said: “Statistics have shown a relationship between smoking and certain diseases, including lung cancer, and I think scientists would agree that statistical association does not in itself establish a cause and effect.”
Mr Davis said Imperial Tobacco did not know whether smoking caused lung cancer.
The case for damages has been brought by Margaret McTear of Beith in Ayrshire.
She claims Imperial Tobacco failed to adequately warn her husband Alfred of the dangers of smoking. The 60-a-day smoker died of lung cancer in 1993 at the age of 48.
He began legal proceedings against Imperial Tobacco after he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in 1992.
She is demanding damages of £500,000.
Smoking is estimated to cause the death of 120,000 Britons a year.
The case is expected to last four months.
An Imperial Tobacco spokesman said: “We have steadfastly claimed we believe this case is speculative, that our defence is robust and have maintained the proper place to discuss any issues around this case is in the courtroom.”
