The American Lung Association believes it is much more important to stand up for the health of this nation's people than to compromise with an industry that has lied repeatedly about the death and disease associated with its product. This is not the time to bailout the tobacco industry. However, the settlement talks appear to have produced substantive elements with the potential for controlling tobacco industry activities and creating an environment that protects future generations from tobacco-related disease. Many other national organizations also seem to be in opposition the ACS's tentative endorsement of the settlement proposal. We believe that the tobacco industry should be held accountable and should not be immunized from paying for the addiction, disease and death that they have knowingly inflicted on society.
Time is on our side. . . .
It's giving them a pardon for deaths caused in the past and a license to kill in the future. All would seriously compromise victims' rights, and the tobacco companies could easily absorb the predictable expenses without a significant effect on sales volume, profitability or marketing behavior. College of Preventive Medicine, Amer. Academy of Pediatrics, Amer. Lung Assn., Amer.