Litigation by states against the tobacco industry

Abstract

By late June 1997, 39 of the 50 states of the United States had sued the tobacco industry, seeking reimbursement of the medical expenses they had paid for their indignant citizens and orders requiring the industry to stop lying and stop targeting children and adolescents. On 20 June 1997, representatives of most of these states, together with private attorneys who had brought class actions against the tobacco industry, reached a tentative settlement with the industry. Under the agreement* the industry would pay US$ 368.5 thousand million over 25 years. As part of the settlement, the industry would also consent to a variety of tobacco control measures long sought by public health advocates. At the time of writing, the agreement was contingent, however, on Congress enacting legislation that would make it harder to regulate or to sue the industry in the future.