Tennessee receives $146.1M payment from tobacco lawsuit
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The state of Tennessee will receive hundreds of millions of dollars this year as part of a settlement group from a major tobacco company lawsuit.
According to the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, the Volunteer State will receive $146.1 million from major tobacco companies that joined the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. Since 1998, the state has received $3.9 billion from the settlement agreement.
The landmark case resolved Tennessee’s lawsuit against major tobacco companies for violations of consumer protection laws and deceptive marketing practices that caused damages to the state, including increased healthcare costs.
TN receives hundreds of millions of dollars in tobacco settlement
“One of my favorite parts of my job is protecting Tennessee kids from abusive corporate power, following in the footsteps of my distinguished predecessors,” Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said. “For decades now, our office has worked hard to ensure that Big Tobacco colors inside the lines and pays for its past misconduct. This year, we are proud to deliver another $146 million to the State of Tennessee.”
The AG’s office is responsible for enforcing the Master Settlement Agreement and regulating tobacco companies that do business in Tennessee. The office said in a statement it continues to work to ensure that the companies comply with their obligations under the Master Settlement Agreement, as well as state and federal tobacco laws.
Under the terms of the settlement, Tennessee and 51 other states and U.S. territories receive annual payments that help defray the cost of healthcare for smoking-related illnesses.
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The agreement also contains significant public health protections for Tennesseans, including restrictions against youth marketing of tobacco products, sales of tobacco brand name merchandise, and tobacco-sponsored entertainment and sporting events.
This year’s amount is slightly less than the state received in 2023. Last year’s payment yielded $163 million for the state.
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