US: Clinton Rejects Deal

President Bill Clinton has spurned the $368.5 billion deal that was reached earlier this year between tobacco companies and various US states that had sued the industry in order to recover the health-care costs of treating smokers who had allegedly contracted their illnesses through tobacco consumption. Presidential approval was necessary for the deal to be done but he has now said that it does not go far enough in meeting his more fundamental aims of radically reducing tobacco consumption. He has now called for Congress to pass legislation that will raise tobacco retail prices by a large margin, and – in confirming the recently agreed designation of the Food and Drug Administration as the regulatory authority over tobacco – has said he wants to see the FDA introduce much tougher controls over tobacco advertising. However, he also said that any fresh legislation must protect the interests of tobacco farmers.