Every time lawsuits against cigarette manufacturers come up, it seems it’s time again to talk about personal responsibility.

An issue like anti-smoking lawsuits might seem black and white at first glance, but, of course, it’s not.

It’s easy to hate Big Tobacco. It’s a cluster of companies that made billions capitalizing on people’s addictions and subsequent deaths.

On the other hand, it’s hard to be that sympathetic toward those who sue cigarette makers when they become ill, or if family members sue companies after the death of a loved one.

Yes, it’s a terrible, unnecessary loss, but these people are responsible for their actions. Nobody’s saying that cigarettes aren’t addictive or lethal, they are, but the people who light up realize this and should be prepared to accept any consequences — even if it means sickness or death.

Last week, Big Tobacco was issued what some industry executives labeled as “a death warrant” to their companies. A jury ruled that Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds, Brown & Williamson, Lorillard Tobacco and Liggett Group Inc. had to pay a record $145 billion to ill Florida smokers.

Of course, as wily as Big Tobacco is, it should come as no surprise that this lawsuit won’t bankrupt those companies. Florida law also says that defendants must post the full award as bond while appealing damages, and new laws cap the bond that Big Tobacco would have to post during the appeals process.

So for the smokers out there, this means your favorite carcinogen will probably be available for years to come. And the Florida lawsuit has been the most high profile case to date, but it won’t be the last.

This is where personal responsibility comes in: It’s reassuring to see Big Tobacco gets its comeuppance, but that doesn’t make up for the billions of deaths it has already caused.

It doesn’t make up for the years of corporate executives lying about how they actually knew they were producing a dangerous product — or even worse, tampering with the levels of nicotine and putting addictive additives into their cigarettes.

Big Tobacco has already lost its case in the court of public opinion.

Unfortunately, it probably doesn’t matter because people will continue to smoke.

We at the Daily don’t advocate telling people what to do with their lives — if you want to smoke, you’ll probably smoke, despite the fact that it’s dangerous.

But don’t show up in court years from now trying to demand your piece of the pie when you inevitably get sick. By then, there will be absolutely no excuse.

Iowa State Daily Editorial Board: Kate Kompas,Greg Jerrett, Heidi Jolivette, Justin Kendall and Tara Payne.