Attorneys General Call for TPP Tobacco Carve-Out
A tobacco carve-out in a final Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement is the only means to avoid obstruction in state and local law enforcement of tobacco regulations and, in effect, prevent widespread loss of life from use of the product, said attorneys…
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general from 44 U.S. states and territories in a Jan. 27 letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman. “Experience has shown that state and local laws and regulations may be challenged by tobacco companies that aggressively assert claims under bilateral and multilateral trade and investment agreements, either directly under investor-state provisions or indirectly by instigating and supporting actions by countries that are parties to such agreements,” said the letter. “Such agreements can enable these tobacco companies to challenge federal, state, and local laws and regulations under standards and in forums that would not be available under United States law.” The current USTR tobacco proposal fails to recognize the unique status of tobacco as a fatal product, said the letter.