Altadis: Another Lawsuit against Tobacco Rejected.Business Editors PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 14, 2004 The Court of First Instance Number 2 of Olot (Girona) has absolved Altadis S.A. in a tobacco lawsuit. The rejected suit was filed in June 2000 by the family of Josep Guardiola Josep Guardiola Sala (b. Santpedor, Catalonia, January 18, 1971), also known as Pep Guardiola is a Spanish former football player. He was captain of both FC Barcelona and Spain. He also played for Brescia Calcio, AS Roma, Al-Ahli Doha and Dorados de Sinaloa. Masoliver, who blamed the cancer he suffered on tobacco consumption, and claimed an amount equivalent to 660.000 euros. The ruling by the Olot Court coincides with other previous decisions by stressing two points as grounds for rejecting the case: the lack of a proven causal relationship and the existence of widespread information with respect to smoking as a risk factor. In this respect, the Court ruling stated that "the causal relationship between cigarette consumption and the disease suffered has not been certifiably proven". Likewise, it indicates that "smoking is a voluntary act" and that "it is public knowledge that tobacco is a legal substance, and cigarette packs have borne health warnings for more than twenty years TWENTY YEARS. The lapse of twenty years raises a presumption of certain facts, and after such a time, the party against whom the presumption has been raised, will be required to prove a negative to establish his rights. 2. ." In addition, the ruling emphasises the information to this effect publicised Adj. 1. publicised - made known; especially made widely known publicized in all the media. Finally, the decision establishes that "the preparation and distribution of tobacco are legal activities, undertaken with scrupulous scru·pu·lous adj. 1. Conscientious and exact; painstaking. See Synonyms at meticulous. 2. Having scruples; principled. fulfilment of all the administrative requirements", and that that "the defendant has complied with all health regulations in effect". To date, Altadis has been absolved in the thirteen individual tobacco-related lawsuits filed against it in Spain and France. (Sicovam: 012975) (Isin: ES0177040013) (Reuters: ALT.MC ou ALDS ALDS American League Division Series ALDS Automatic Lightning Detection System ALDS Advanced Laser Diode Simulator ALDS Armored Laser Detecting Set ALDS Academy Lakes Day School (Academy at the Lakes) ALDS Application Layer Data Striping .PA) (Bloomberg: ALT SM ou ALD ALD abbr. adrenoleukodystrophy ALD, n.pr See adrenoleukodystrophy. ALD aldolase. .SM) |
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