What is the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA)?
The Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) is a legal contract established in November 1998 between 46 states, including Hawaii, five U.S. Territories, and the District of Columbia, with participating tobacco manufacturers. As of August 2006, over 40 tobacco product manufacturers have signed. The MSA provides numerous restrictions and prohibitions, including: bans on the use of cartoons in tobacco advertisements, youth exposure to sampling, certain sponsorships, and the use of most outdoor advertisements.
