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draft settlement

Smokers' Rights Group Challenges Settlement In CA, NY

The smokers' rights group Smokers for Fairness has filed a petition in a California appeals court requesting a reconsideration of the group's lawsuit against the tobacco settlement.

Their lawsuit had been thrown out in August. The group is arguing that the high costs of the settlement unfairly penalize smokers.

The group also filed a legal challenge to New York's settlement on August 19. "The New York filing takes the thing to a whole different level," said Donald Ricketts, the group's attorney.

"The effect of that is to tie it (the tobacco settlement) up nationwide. Without those two states being final, you cannot reach 80 percent [of the total settlement payments]."

Source(s):
Reuters, (8/30/99) "Group says to continue battling tobacco settlement"
[Full Text: http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/990830/43.html]