51.   Under Butterworth, it was one of the first states to sue cigarette makers to recover the costs of treating smokers.

52.   U.S. cigarette makers agreed to the payout to settle lawsuits by states seeking to recover costs of treating sick smokers.

53.   Wigand has been aiding U.S. Justice Department inquiries as well as lawsuits by states seeking to recover billions of dollars in Medicaid money spent treating smokers.

54.   A federal judge ruled in September that the government could not invoke two federal laws to recover Medicare payments and other costs of treating ill smokers.

55.   British American Tobacco and its subsidiary Brown and Williamson are being sued with other tobacco firms for the cost of treating smokers for smoking-related illnesses.

56.   But she also said the government could not invoke two federal laws to recover the Medicare cost of treating ill smokers.

57.   Cigarette makers also agreed to compensate the states for the cost of treating sick smokers.

58.   Demand for tobacco is expected to be reduced by recent settlements of claims by states that sued tobacco companies to recover the costs of treating sick smokers.

59.   In January, Venezuela sued to recover billions for treating sick smokers.

60.   It obtained money to help pay for it from the departments of Defense, Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs, which incurred costs from treating sick smokers.