Three major cigarette companies were back in court Thursday, beginning the appeal process for the historic $15-billion payout for Quebec smoking victims.

When the judgment came down, the judge ordered that the tobacco companies pay a $1 billion immediately to the victims, people who believed the fake scientific arguments brought forward over a quarter of a century ago by those companies that suggested smoking wasn’t as dangerous for your health as most scientists had claimed it was. That ruling was made because the judge believed that by the time all appeals were over, the plaintifs would be dead.

"The tobacco companies always appeal everything during the trial," said Quebec Council on Health and Tobacco Director Mario Bujold. "There had been more than 100 judgments before the final judgment a month ago. That's why we're not surprised, they always do that."

Among other things, the tobacco companies say they're unable to pay that money, and that even paying a portion of that amount could push them to the brink of bankruptcy.

The tobacco companies argue that in the event they win their appeal, they wouldn’t be able to recoup the $1 billion they’ve been ordered to shell out. The appeal process could last years.

The three firms are supposed to split the $15.6 billion payment according to a responsibly set out by the court -- 67 per cent for Imperial Tobacco ($10.5 billion), 20 per cent for Rothmans, Benson & Hedges ($3.1 billion) and 13 per cent for JTI-Macdonald ($2 billion).

Anti-tobacco activists were also present at the Thursday hearing, and tore apart the arguments from big tobacco.

"It's incredible that tobacco companies that have said smoking doesn't cause cancer, that it's impossible to put pictures on packs of cigarettes, now say they can't pay the judgment, which is only seven per cent of the judgment against them," said Rob Cunningham, an attorney for the Canadian Cancer Society.

The major tobacco companies have until July 26 to pay the $1 billion,  but the decision from the court of appeal is expected to come before that.

-- with files from The Canadian Press