About this episode

This episode discusses the Tobacco Master Settlement and the legal actions taken against cigarette manufacturers in the 1990s.

By the 1990s, cigarette makers had been hooking and killing off their customers for about a century. And they’d gotten good at both as well as covering up their harms. In 1994 they were still denying cigarettes were addictive. Then, the 50 Attorneys General of the US rode into town to take them on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Topics covered

• tobacco
• legal settlement
• public health
• addiction
• cigarette industry
• government action

Keywords

• tobacco
• cigarettes
• settlement
• addiction
• lawyers
• public health
• attorneys general

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: cigarette makers, 50 Attorneys General of the US

More episodes of Stuff You Should Know

• Selects: The Soul Train Episode · July 18, 2026 · 47 min
• White Boy Rick · July 16, 2026 · 49 min
• Short Stuff: The Voice of God · July 15, 2026 · 15 min
• You Are Not Alone With Postpartum Depression · July 14, 2026 · 46 min
• Selects: The First Road Trip · July 11, 2026 · 50 min
• Eleanor Roosevelt: Best First Lady · July 9, 2026 · 47 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Stuff You Should Know podcast page.