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Sarasota, FL— Jurors last week cleared R.J. Reynolds of fault for the respiratory disease a Florida man developed following decades of smoking the company’s cigarettes. Damiano v. R.J. Reynolds, 2011-CA-000450.  

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Tallahassee, FL—A Florida state court judge last Friday struck down the state legislature’s ban on smokable medical marijuana, concluding the prohibition was unconstitutional. People United for Medical Marijuana v. Florida Department of Health, 2017CA001394. 

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5/24/18 9AM Update: The Florida state court jury imposed a $10 million punitive verdict against Philip Morris and another $4 million against R.J. Reynolds after deliberating for about four hours Wednesday in the second phase of trial over the lung cancer death of Fred Theis. The punitive verdict brings the total damage award to $21 million. 

5/22/18 11:51 AM Update: Jurors awarded $7 million to the widow of a Florida smoker, and concluded punitive damages are potentially warranted, after finding R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris responsible for his lung cancer death. The jury, which also found the cigarette makers liable on fraud and conspiracy claims, apportioned 60% of fault to Philip Morris, 15% to Reynolds and 25% to Fred Theis, the smoker at the center of the case. Punitive proceedings are slated to begin this afternoon. 

Venice, FL—Attorneys sparred Monday over what, if any, responsibility the nation’s two largest cigarette makers bore for the lung cancer death of a long-time Florida smoker, as closings wrapped before the case went to the jury. Theis v. Philip Morris, et al., 2011-CA-001941.

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West Palm Beach, FL—A tobacco industry scheme to undermine medical evidence of smoking’s risks led to a Florida woman’s fatal cancer, an attorney for the woman’s family said Friday, as trial opened against R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris. Landi v. R.J. Reynolds, et al. 2008-CV-025814.

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Tallahassee, FL—Trial is set Wednesday for a group challenging Florida’s ban on smokable medical marijuana, one of the first attacks on the law enacting a state constitutional amendment legalizing medicinal cannabis. CVN will broadcast the trial live. People United for Medical Marijuana Inc. v. Florida Department of Health 2017-CA-001394.