Coughing up

Forty-six US states have signed a deal with four tobacco companies, requiring
the firms to pay $206 billion to cover the cost of treating sick smokers.
The deal was proposed earlier this month
(This Week, 21 November, p 15),
but may yet face a rocky ride. Anti-smoking groups claim the agreement is too lenient.
They are trying to overturn it and have already filed lawsuits in 10 states.