Cancer patient who was awarded $289M in Monsanto case speaks out
A former school groundskeeper dying of cancer who won a landmark judgment against agriculture giant Monsanto says the lawsuit was never about the money. Dewayne "Lee" Johnson alleges that his use of Monsanto's weed killer Roundup contributed to his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Last week, a California jury agreed, and awarded Johnson $289 million in compensatory and punitive damages. The jury also determined Monsanto failed to warn consumers of dangers associated with the products Johnson used.
In an interview with CBS News correspondent Anna Werner, Johnson said he hopes labels change in the future.
"The label's important because, as a pest controller and as those guys out there ... in the professional field of applying herbicides, it's a requirement to understand your label and then look at your label. It's very serious. There's a whole chapter on reading the label, how to read it, and what to look for. So if that was on the label, people can make an informed choice."
Monsanto denies any link between the active ingredient in Roundup and cancer. The company plans to appeal the verdict.