POLL NOT GOOD NEWS FOR TOBACCO INDUSTRY [05/10]

New poll shows that most Americans believe that cigarette manufacturers should be responsible to some extent for the health problems their products cause.

Almost 75% of those questioned in a USA TODAY/CNN poll believe that tobacco companies have some responsibility, and only 26% believe that the smokers are solely responsible.

Here is the breakdown:

-- 38% say smokers are "mostly" to blame for the health problems they face.

-- 26% say smokers are "completely" to blame.

-- 20% say tobacco companies are mostly to blame.

-- 5% say tobacco firms are completely to blame.

-- 10% say smokers and tobacco companies are equally to blame.

Another problem for the tobacco industry is that almost half of all Americans would go so far as to drive the tobacco companies out of business. More specifically:

Fifty-four percent in the USA TODAY/CNN poll said that it would be a "bad thing" if the tobacco companies in the USA were driven out of business by lawsuits, but fully 42% said that would be a good thing.

On the other hand, the poll finds 52% favor a deal that would provide new federal regulation of tobacco and billions of dollars for people with smoking-related illnesses in exchange for limiting tobacco company financial liability for health problems.

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