CHICAGO, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by Thomas
Houston, M.D., Public Affairs Chair, American Cancer Society, Illinois
Division, Inc.; Almarie Wagner, Executive Vice President, American Heart
Association-Midwest Affiliate; John Kirkwood, American Lung Association of
Metropolitan Chicago; Doug Mack, M.D., M.P.H., President, American Association
of Public Health Physicians:

    In 1997 Attorney General Jim Ryan filed a lawsuit against the tobacco
industry on behalf of Illinois taxpayers.  At that time, Illinois was one of a
handful of states that filed similar lawsuits.  We strongly supported his
goal, recovery of taxpayers' money spent to treat tobacco-related disease in
Illinois Medicaid recipients.  Settlement of this lawsuit promises to bring a
large amount of money to Illinois.
    With rumors circulating that a multi-state tobacco settlement between the
attorneys general in several states and Big Tobacco is imminent, the American
Heart Association-Midwest Affiliate, the American Lung Association of
Metropolitan Chicago, the American Cancer Society, Illinois Division, American
Association of Public Health Physicians strongly recommend Illinois Attorney
General Jim Ryan work to make public health principles a key feature of any
agreement and allow public health 30 days to review and comment.
    For the past few months, eight Attorneys General have been negotiating
with Big Tobacco to develop an agreement that would settle outstanding state
liability claims for health care costs of treating tobacco-caused illnesses.
We applaud Illinois Attorney General Ryan for not participating in these
talks.  This agreement is being drafted without full disclosure of the
discussions to the public.  Furthermore, recent news reports indicate that the
proposed settlement may fall far short of Minnesota's landmark settlement with
the tobacco companies and could have little or no effect on public health.
    The American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung
Association and other public health organizations and community groups
concerned about tobacco use in Illinois are united on the following health
priorities which can be achieved by a settlement.

    -- Protect state, county and city government's ability to enact or enforce
       local tobacco control policies.
    -- No restrictions on future lawsuits on behalf of individuals,
       class-actions, third parties (including local government) against the
       tobacco industry for recovery of costs not covered in this settlement.
    -- Protect existing or future state, county and local municipality laws,
       and state judicial processes.
    -- Make certain that any agreement includes strong limitations on
       marketing including a ban on all tobacco brand name sponsored sporting
       events, the elimination of all outdoor advertising, and restrictions on
       point of purchase advertising.
    -- Fund a public education campaign and comprehensive tobacco control
       program with dollars that can not be diverted for other purposes.
    -- Restrict youth access to cigarettes and smokeless products, including
       self-service displays, and all vending machines.
    -- Insure the industry will cease and desist its funding of front groups
       who oppose state and local tobacco control efforts.
    -- Appropriate dollars from the agreement to expand, not supplant,
       current funding.
    -- Full disclosure of tobacco industry secret documents.

    Public health organizations are happy to help in achieving a successful
settlement so that meaningful tobacco control programs can be developed.
    Big Tobacco has raised public health organizations' concerns about the
secrecy surrounding the multi-state settlement.  Special protections for
tobacco companies and unwarranted restrictions on state and local tobacco
control activities that would be forever legally binding may be included.
In Minnesota, after consulting with public health professionals, the Minnesota
Attorney General rejected many of the protectionist demands by tobacco
lawyers.
    A settlement that truly protects public health and holds tobacco companies
accountable should withstand and deserves full public scrutiny.  We encourage
Attorney General Ryan to continue his suit against the tobacco companies in a
way that achieves the best possible public health benefits for the state of
Illinois.

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