1998

• Surgeon General’s report examines tobacco use among U.S. racial and ethnic minority groups: African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. Concludes that cigarette smoking is one of the major health hazards among different racial and ethnic groups. Tobacco use and patterns of use vary among these groups as well

1998

• Phillip Morris Accord presented at a poster presentation at the Society of Toxicology in Seattle

1998

• Texas settles with industry at $15.3 billion over 25 years

• Tobacco executives testify before Congress that nicotine is addictive under current definitions of the word and smoking may cause cancer

• Minnesota and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Minnesota settle at $6.6 billion with the tobacco industry

• Senate vetoes a proposal of $1.50 tax increase per pack on cigarettes

• McCain Universal Tobacco Settlement Bill dies in congressional filibuster. Bill addressed tobacco product regulation of ingredients, sales, and advertising. It also addresses education and nicotine addiction prevention

• 46 states welcome a $206 billion settlement with the tobacco industry over health care costs for treating sick smokers

1999

• Star Tobacco introduces new cigarettes with low-nitrosamine tobacco and activated-charcoal filter, but is unable to make health claims

1999

• Justice Department sues the tobacco industry to recover billions of government dollars spent on smoking-related health care, accusing cigarette makers of a “coordinated campaign of fraud and deceit”