The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

OBJECTIVE: When the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement was announced its proponents claimed it would bring about a dramatic reduction in tobacco marketing and that its funds would make a major impact on tobacco use. Its opponents said it would have little impact. Eight years later its impact can be assessed.

METHODS: The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has reviewed the impact of the MSA on tobacco marketing, conducted our own surveys of youth exposure to tobacco marketing and our own analysis of the uses of the tobacco settlement funds. We have also evaluated the impact of the MSA on the adoption of tobacco control measures.

RESULTS: The MSA has had an impact but less of an impact than predicted and far less of an impact than alternative proposals that had been debated. The MSA prompted a shift in tobacco industry marketing, but overall marketing arose, demonstrating the problem with partial restrictions on tobacco marketing. The MSA resulted in an increase in tobacco prevention spending, but in most states the funding is far below what is recommended by the CDC. Nonetheless, the MSA prompted price increases that curtailed tobacco use; the states that have funded tobacco prevention have provided strong evidence about what works; the American Legacy Foundation Truth campaign re-affirmed the benefit of public education campaigns; and the settlement generated an important debate about what should be done about tobacco use. The weaknesses in the MSA point out the value of earlier proposals that were not adopted.