N.B. launches lawsuit against tobacco companies

New Brunswick has become the second province to file a lawsuit against tobacco companies to recover health-care costs related to the use of tobacco products.

The provincial government is committed to holding tobacco companies accountable for the suffering caused by the use of their products, Health Minister Mike Murphy said on Thursday.

New Brunswick's government announced in December 2006 that it would takelegal action against the companies but the Tobacco Damages and Health Care Cost Recovery Act was onlyproclaimed on March 7, giving the province the legal authority to launch the lawsuit.

"Tobacco companies must be held accountable, and we intend to be at the forefront of doing just that," said New Brunswick Attorney General T. J. Burke. "With proclamation of the legislation, we are now moving ahead aggressively with the lawsuit."

British Columbia has already launched a similar suit and Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan also have legislation that enables them to do so.

New Brunswick is using a consortium of lawyers, which includes two firms from New Brunswick, one from Ontario and two from the United States, to launch its lawsuit.

Murphy said the suit is on behalf of people whose health has been harmed by tobacco products and families who have lost loved ones to tobacco-related illness.

It has also been taxpayers who have borne the added costs to the health-care system because of illnesses arising from the use of tobacco products, Murphy said.

"While we continue our efforts to keep people from smoking and helping those who do to quit, we will also work to ensure that tobacco companies are made liable for the damage to the health of New Brunswickers, and the financial burden put on taxpayers for health-care costs," Murphy said.