Most smokers wish they'd never started, witness says

March 16, 1998
Web posted at: 9:37 p.m. EST (0237 GMT)

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) -- Most smokers wish they had never started smoking and that they could kick the habit, and all show an unusually strong brand loyalty, a plaintiff's witness testified in the Minnesota tobacco trial Monday.

Marketing professor Robert Dolan of Harvard Graduate School of Business told the court that those factors make cigarette smokers different from consumers of other products.

Dolan cited a 1984 Philip Morris document that said more than 85 percent of smokers agree strongly or very strongly with the statement, "I wish I had never began smoking." More than 80 percent said they had attempted to quit, according to the document.

Minnesota and Blue Cross and Blue Shield have sued the industry for $1.77 billion, plus punitive damages, to recover medical costs incurred by smokers.

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Related stories:

• Expert says tobacco pitched ads to young smokers - March 9, 1998
• Tobacco industry wins reprieve - March 8, 1998
• Document: Potential smoking habits of 5-year-olds reviewed - March 7, 1998

Related sites:

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• NOCALL - Tobacco Resources
  • Tobacco Trials - State List
  • Major legal cases and court coverage of tobacco lawsuits around the world

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