Tobacco.org

• High Court Turns Away Philip Morris 

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by Philip Morris, setting the stage for the tobacco giant to pay more than $16 million to a Glendale woman who contracted lung cancer. It would be the largest payment and the first punitive damages ever paid to an individual smoker. . . .

Although the award eventually was reduced to $10.5 million, Philip Morris will have to write a check for $16.7 million because of interest accrued during the years of appeals. Henley, 58, said she planned to give most of the money to a foundation to teach children about the ills of smoking and treat kids with respiratory ailments and cancer.

"This is a good day for the children," said Henley, who had long complained that her case would never end. "This is punishment money from the tobacco industry, but it needs to be turned into money that's going to help people." . . .

after paying taxes and legal fees, she would keep the compensatory damages to live on and donate the rest to the Patricia Henley Foundation, based in Santa Barbara.

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