AG Wilson: SC received almost $79 million in tobacco settlement funds

SC Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the state received $78,999,470.88 from the annual Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)—SC Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the state received $78,999,470.88 from the annual tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA).

In 1998, the Attorney General’s Office joined 45 other states in settling claims with the then four major U.S. cigarette manufacturers.

The MSA is the largest financial recovery in legal history. The settlement provides states with annual payments in perpetuity to help reimburse  for healthcare costs and harm caused by tobacco use.

The payment primarily goes to the S.C. Department of Health and Human Services for the Medicaid program.

Since 1998, South Carolina has received a total of $1,914,108,802.69 in its share of tobacco MSA payments.