November 1998General sourceWell documented
The Master Settlement Agreement
On the timeline · around November 1998 ·
What happened
In 1998, the attorneys general of 46 states reached the Master Settlement Agreement with the four largest cigarette makers. The industry agreed to pay roughly $206 billion over 25 years and to accept sweeping limits on advertising, especially marketing aimed at youth.
Why it matters
It was the largest civil litigation settlement in U.S. history, and it fundamentally reshaped how tobacco could be sold and promoted in America.
Sources
- Public Health Law Center. The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement · General source