Washington will receive a payment of about $66 million from Philip Morris USA to resolve remaining disputes between the Richmond, Virginia-based company and the state related to the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), the Washington State Office of the Attorney General said Friday.
Washington signed the MSA in 1998 along with 45 other states to impose restrictions on the tobacco industry’s advertising and marketing.
“That 1998 agreement with tobacco companies continues to be a shining example of holding companies accountable for putting profits over people’s health,” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said. “I’m grateful to our team for negotiating these latest settlements for the benefit of our entire state.”
As part of the MSA, participating tobacco manufacturers pay billions each year to states that reached resolutions with them, the Washington State Office of the Attorney General said, adding that Washington has received roughly $3.8 billion over the years.
The agreement with Philip Morris resolves disputes through the year 2015. Washington and Philip Morris have agreed to arbitrate disputes related to subsequent years.
CSP reached out to Philip Morris USA for comment but did not receive a reply by posting time.
The agreement with Philip Morris USA follows another one reached in April of this year between the state and other tobacco companies, including R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Under that settlement, the state received over $277 million from R.J. Reynolds and the other manufacturers to resolve similar disputes, the Washington State Office of the Attorney General said.
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