A different, but somewhat similar issue came up with PVC (?); hairspray contained PVC until the health hazards became commonly known while industrial users continued exposing workers to those same hazards. The reasoning, as I understand the story, was that the companies' liability to customers (i.e. hairspray users) was unlimited, while the liability to employees was limited.
If you find these sorts of things amusing, check out Thomas Midgley, Jr. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Midgley,_Jr.).