Tobacco industry activity in Wisconsin

Tobacco industry activity in Wisconsin

Master Settlement Agreement
In 1996, Wisconsin's attorney general, Jim Doyle, urged Wisconsin's governor to authorize a lawsuit against the tobacco industry, in which the state would accuse cigarette and smokeless tobacco makers of engaging in a conspiracy to "mislead, deceive and confuse Wisconsin residents about the health affects of tobacco and the addictiveness of nicotine." Doyle said he had enlisted the help of groups like the Wisconsin branch of the American Cancer Society and private law firms to help fund and lend expertise in the litigation, so the lawsuit would not cost Wisconsin taxpayers anything.

Wisconsin eventually joined other states in the lawsuit, and in April, 1999, Medicaid recipients in Wisconsin joined a class-action lawsuit seeking a share of the settlement between the state and the tobacco industry.

SourceWatch resources

 * Jim Doyle

External resources
Legacy Tobacco Documents Library: search_term=Wisconsin confidential