US ex-smoker awarded €8m after six-year fight

A WOMAN with lung cancer is to be awarded the highest court-ordered payment yet to an ex-smoker after a last-ditch appeal was rejected.

Patricia Henley, of California, will receive the $10.5 million (€8m) award, which has grown to more than $15.8m (€12.1m) with interest, from Philip Morris, the world’s largest cigarette maker.

The jury found the company had lied about the risks and addictive nature of smoking and was responsible for her cancer.