Press Releases

Philip Morris USA said today it will seek further review of a jury verdict awarding approximately $56 million in compensatory damages and $244 million in punitive damages.

Altria Group, Inc. (Altria) said today it will seek further review of a federal court jury verdict against it in a dispute with the United States Internal Revenue Service involving tax deductions related to four leveraged lease transactions. Altria filed suit seeking tax refunds totaling almost $25 million for taxes paid for years 1996 and 1997.

Altria Group, Inc. (Altria) today announced that Murray S. Kessler, Vice Chair of Altria and President and Chief Executive Officer of UST LLC (UST), will leave the company at the end of June, having overseen the completion of the key elements of UST's integration into Altria. Following Altria's acquisition of UST, Mr. Kessler agreed to stay on to oversee the integration and help complete the transition.

Today Altria Group called President Obama’s signing of legislation giving the Food and Drug Administration regulatory authority over tobacco products an important and historic achievement. The company has supported tough but reasonable federal regulation of tobacco products for more than eight years.

Altria Group statement released on June 11, 2009 regarding the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act:

Philip Morris USA (PM USA) and its parent company, Altria Group, Inc. (Altria Group), will seek review of today’s appeals court ruling largely upholding a trial judge’s decision in 2006 that PM USA, Altria Group and the other major cigarette companies violated civil provisions of the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

A divided California Supreme Court today reversed lower court rulings decertifying a class action against major tobacco manufacturers and sent the case back to the trial court to determine, among other things, whether the named plaintiffs could maintain the suit under standards announced in today’s ruling.

The U.S. Supreme Court today dismissed the company’s appeal of a 1999 punitive damages award of $79.5 million to the family of a individual smoker in a case known as Williams.

A Pinellas County jury today ruled in favor of Philip Morris USA in one of the first tobacco lawsuits following a 2006 Florida Supreme Court decision that decertified a class action but allowed former class members to file individual lawsuits.

Philip Morris USA said today it will seek appellate review of a jury verdict awarding $8 million in total damages to the family of a former smoker.

A Tennessee state court today dismissed the class-action allegations in a lawsuit brought against Altria Group and Philip Morris USA alleging violations of state consumer protection laws for using the terms "Lights" and "Lowered Tar and Nicotine" on packages of Marlboro Lights cigarettes.

John Middleton Co. joined other cigar companies in asking a Maryland circuit court to overturn a recently enacted Prince George’s law that bans the sale of single cigars.

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court today ruled that a lawsuit involving "lights" cigarettes brought under the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act was not barred by federal law.

A New York intermediate appellate court today ruled that an individual smoker is barred from attempting to recover punitive damages in New York state court cases.

Philip Morris USA said today it will seek further review in the Scott case after a Louisiana trial judge ordered the nation’s major cigarette companies to pay some $263.5 million to fund a statewide 10-year smoking cessation program.

The U.S. Supreme Court today agreed to review the Oregon Supreme Court’s ruling upholding a 1999 verdict that awarded the family of a deceased individual smoker $79.5 million in punitive damages from Philip Morris USA.

Philip Morris USA (PM USA) filed two lawsuits in federal court yesterday in Los Angeles, Ca., aimed at stopping the importation, distribution, and sale of counterfeit cigarettes and the unauthorized use of PM USA's trademarks.

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit today reversed the certification of a nationwide class action of “lights” smokers.

Philip Morris USA filed two lawsuits in federal court yesterday in the Eastern District of New York against importers, C.H. Rhodes of Flushing, N.Y., and U.S. Sun Star Trading Inc. of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Today’s United States Supreme Court decision not to review the Engle decision at this time is not a decision on the merits of the case, but rather was based on the current procedural posture of the case...

Philip Morris USA filed lawsuits today against retailers selling counterfeit versions of the company’s Marlboro® brand cigarettes.

Philip Morris USA has filed two lawsuits in federal court against Internet site operators engaged in the sale of illegally imported cigarettes bearing Philip Morris USA's trademarks, including the Marlboro mark.

Philip Morris USA today announced the introduction of Marlboro Moist Smokeless Tobacco into test market. Marlboro Moist Smokeless Tobacco will be offered in Original and Wintergreen flavors and will be available in Long Cut and Fine Cut varieties.

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to reverse rulings by lower federal courts in the Watson case and remand it to state court does not negatively affect the ultimate outcome of the case or that of other "Lights" cases, Philip Morris USA said today.

Altria and Philip Morris USA said today that the district court's order clarifying its earlier decision on two legal issues is contrary to the law.

The U.S. Supreme Court today reversed and vacated a $79.5 million punitive damage award returned by a 1999 Oregon jury in a case known as Williams-Branch. The case will now return to the Oregon courts for proceedings consistent with Philip Morris USA’s due process rights.

Altria Group, Inc. and its domestic tobacco company Philip Morris USA today reaffirmed their longstanding support for granting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to effectively regulate tobacco products, and urged Congress to take quick action on the FDA legislation sponsored by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and John Cornyn (R-TX), and Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Tom Davis (R-VA).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2005, an estimated 70 percent of current adult smokers in the United States indicated they wanted to quit.

Philip Morris USA today said it is pleased that data from the University of Michigan’s “Monitoring the Future” survey showed that smoking rates among 8th, 10th and 12th grade students have decreased to all-time lows.

The U.S. Supreme Court today denied review of the Price “lights” class action case.

Altria Group, Inc. Presents at Morgan Stanley Global Consumer and Retail Conference

Philip Morris USA (PM USA) is asking entertainment industry decision-makers to voluntarily eliminate the use of its products from their productions with a new trade print advertising campaign.

Philip Morris USA will seek prompt appellate review of a federal judge's decision today to certify a national class of "light" smokers involving all major cigarette manufacturers.

Remarks by Michael E. Szymanczyk, Chairman and CEO, Philip Morris USA Inc. at Prudential Consumer Conference

Philip Morris USA and its parent company, Altria Group, Inc., will seek review of U.S. District Court Judge Gladys Kessler’s ruling today that PM USA, Altria Group and the other cigarette companies violated civil provisions of the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

July marks the launch of Taboka (tuh'-BOH-kuh), a smoke-free, spit-free tobacco pouch product manufactured and marketed by Philip Morris USA.

The Illinois Supreme Court today, with consent from both parties, ordered the return to Philip Morris USA of the approximately $2.15 billion in cash securing the appeal bond in the Price "lights" case.

The U.S. Supreme Court today granted Philip Morris USA's petition for review in an Oregon individual smoker's case, known as Williams-Branch.

The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) named Altria Group, Inc. one of "America's Top Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises."

Research indicates that youth exposure to smoking in movies can have an impact on whether or not young people smoke.

The Oregon Supreme Court today affirmed a $79.5 million punitive damages jury verdict against Philip Morris USA.

Philip Morris USA (PM USA) has joined with 37 state attorneys general to establish protocols aimed at combating illegal sales of the companys cigarettes over the Internet or by mail, telephone or fax. The protocols are established for responding to state-provided information related to illegal remote sales of the company's cigarettes.

A Minnesota state court today struck down the state's recently enacted "health impact fee" as a violation of the state's settlement agreement with the settling cigarette manufacturers, including Philip Morris USA.

Remarks by Louis C. Camilleri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Altria Group, Inc. at Morgan Stanley Global Consumer and Retail Conference.

Remarks by David R. Beran Executive Vice President Finance, Planning and Information Philip Morris USA Inc. at Prudential Back-to-School Consumer Conference.

Philip Morris USA (PM USA) today filed a motion in Minnesota state court challenging the recently enacted Minnesota health impact fee.

A federal judge in Tennessee today dismissed a lawsuit challenging Philip Morris USA's Wholesale Leaders program.

To raise awareness of the importance of youth smoking prevention and to encourage parents to talk to their kids about not smoking, Philip Morris USA is airing two national television advertisements.

Philip Morris USA's spending on cigarette brand advertising reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) decreased for the sixth consecutive year as the Company continued to reduce magazine, newspaper and retail point-of-sale advertising in 2003.

According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more people are former smokers than current smokers and 46 million adults have quit smoking. To help current smokers who have decided to quit be more successful, Philip Morris USA is offering a free information resource—QuitAssist™—nationwide.

A federal appeals court has rejected an attempt to establish a nationwide class solely for the purpose of establishing an industry fund to pay punitive damages for yet-to-be filed claims from smokers across the country.

Today, a Dade County Circuit Court jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of Philip Morris USA and other cigarette manufacturers, finding that they are not responsible for the injuries a flight attendant claims were caused by her exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) while employed as a flight attendant.

Remarks by Louis C. Camilleri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Altria Group, Inc.'s 2005 Annual Shareholders Meeting.

A federal appeals court today denied the Department of Justice’s request to reconsider its February 2005 opinion holding that disgorgement of past revenues and profits is not an available remedy in the federal government’s civil RICO case against Philip Morris USA, the other major tobacco companies and other defendants.

Philip Morris USA’s web site, which features the company’s position on smoking and health, youth smoking prevention information, resources for people who have decided to quit smoking and countless other resources, is now available in Spanish.

DiversityInc announced today its fifth annual Top 50 Companies for Diversity, ranking Altria Group, Inc. first on the list.

Altria Group, Inc. is proud to announce that it has been named one of America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises by Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

San Diego Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Prager has decertified the Brown class action after finding that the November 2004 voter referendum known as Proposition 64 applied to the case.

A state court jury has determined that Philip Morris USA is not liable for damages in a claim brought by a California man who began smoking the company’s cigarettes in 1964.

A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. today ruled that the civil Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) does not permit the government to seek disgorgement of past revenues and profits as a remedy in its case against Philip Morris USA, the other major tobacco companies and other defendants.

Remarks by Louis C. Camilleri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Altria Group, Inc. at Morgan Stanley Global Consumer Conference.

Philip Morris USA said it will appeal a jury verdict in favor of a former smoker who claimed that a design defect in Marlboro and Benson & Hedges cigarettes caused his illness.

The New York Court of Appeals has ruled that the state's largest medical insurer cannot use a state consumer protection law to pursue direct claims for the recovery of medical expenses from cigarette makers.

A California appellate court yesterday affirmed the dismissal of a state-wide class-action case alleging that cigarette advertising targeted minors and caused them to smoke.

Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal today denied a request to reconsider its decision to decertify a class of Marlboro Lights and Ultra Lights smokers who are seeking the return of their purchase price of cigarettes sold in Florida since 1971.

Philip Morris USA today filed its final legal brief in connection with the appeal of a $10.1 billion judgment in its appeal of the Price judgment.

Philip Morris USA said the public saw substantial proof of how the tobacco industry has changed when it presented its evidence in the federal tobacco trial, which began Tuesday in Washington, D.C.

Altria Group, Inc., the parent company of Kraft Foods, Philip Morris International and Philip Morris USA, has announced more than $3 million in grants to visual arts and cultural organizations in the United States this year, ranging from large, well-established institutions to smaller emerging organizations and alternative spaces.

Remarks by Dinyar S. Devitre, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Altria Group, Inc. at Prudential Back-to-School Consumer Conference.

Altria Group, Inc.’s Shared Solutions^SM Agricultural Contributions Program is accepting grant applications from U.S. nonprofit agricultural groups for initiatives that bring innovative solutions or thinking to issues affecting the farm-to-consumer supply community.

Today, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court reinstated a “lights” class action, ruling that Massachusetts’ Consumer Protection laws require the trial court to allow the case to proceed as a class action but noting that the class certification “may be revisited” at a later time.

The National Urban League has announced the 2004 return of the well-received economic empowerment program, Know Your Money^TM.

A federal judge presiding over the government's lawsuit against Philip Morris USA has penalized the company for the possible inadvertent loss of some emails by company employees.

Philip Morris USA today urged the Florida Supreme Court to affirm an earlier appellate court decision overturning the $145 billion judgment in the Engle class action and decertifying the class.

A federal appellate court today said it would consider now, as opposed to after trial, the question of whether the Department of Justice is legally entitled to seek disgorgement of $280 billion in alleged “ill-gotten gains” from Philip Morris USA and other major cigarette companies as part of the Department of Justice lawsuit.

A response brief filed earlier this week with the Illinois Supreme Court by the Price class asks the Court to ignore well-established state and federal law in order to uphold a $10.1 billion judgment issued last year in Madison County, according to Philip Morris USA.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler granted a motion brought by Philip Morris USA and the other tobacco industry defendants seeking an immediate appeal on the issue of disgorgement in the Department of Justice lawsuit.

The Oregon Court of Appeals today refused to reduce a jury’s 1999 award of $79.5 million in punitive damages to a single smoker’s estate.

U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler today ruled that she will wait until the lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice against tobacco companies is tried before deciding whether the government’s disgorgement claim is valid.

Philip Morris USA said it will appeal today's verdict by a New Orleans jury in the Scott case ordering the nation's major cigarette manufacturers to pay approximately $590 million for a smoking cessation program in Louisiana.

The Florida Supreme Court announced today that it will review a decision by the state’s intermediate appellate court in the Engle case.

Philip Morris USA will vigorously oppose attempts by plaintiffs’ lawyers to create a nationwide class of “light” cigarette smokers.

A Florida appellate court has affirmed, without explanation, a St. Petersburg jury’s 2003 decision ordering Philip Morris USA and Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corp. to pay damages to a former smoker who has lung disease.

U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler Thursday ruled that the government will need to prove at trial whether the tobacco industry intends to engage in “future misconduct” when it comes to the marketing and sales of their products.

Philip Morris USA said today’s decision by the West Virginia Supreme Court affirming the defense jury verdict in the first tobacco medical monitoring class action ever tried is consistent with established law and the facts of the case.

Philip Morris USA has announced its timeline for the closure of its remaining production facility in Louisville, Kentucky.

The California Supreme Court today agreed to review a lower appellate court’s decision ordering Philip Morris USA to pay a smoker who contracted cancer $9 million in punitive damages in addition to $1.5 million in compensatory damages.

The California Court of Appeal today overturned a plaintiff’s verdict issued in the Whiteley case and sent the case back to the San Francisco Superior Court for retrial.

Philip Morris USA said a decision today by the Mississippi Supreme Court that upholds the dismissal of a lawsuit by Owens Corning Inc. against the company and other major cigarette makers is in line with established law.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals yesterday declined to accept an interlocutory appeal of a trial court’s decision rejecting class action status for the Curtis “lights” case against Philip Morris USA.

A Minnesota state judge in Minneapolis today rejected class action certification in a case seeking refunds for Marlboro Lights cigarette purchases.

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO), the parent company of Kraft Foods, Philip Morris International and Philip Morris USA, said today that, as a result of recently announced employee relocations, an office facility on Westchester Avenue in Rye Brook, New York will be offered for sale.

Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal today reversed a trial court’s ruling that certified a class of all current and former smokers who purchased Marlboro Lights and Ultra Lights cigarettes in Florida, saying the case did not meet the legal requirements for class-action treatment.

Legal errors committed by the Madison County Circuit Court require reversal of the $10.1 billion Price class action judgment and decertification of the class of “lights” cigarette smokers, Philip Morris USA told the Illinois Supreme Court in its initial appellate brief filed today.

A New Hampshire jury has concluded that Philip Morris USA should not be liable for a smoker’s lung-cancer death. It was the first smoking-and-health case tried in New Hampshire.

Philip Morris USA will appeal today’s verdict by a Missouri jury to award nearly $1.6 million in compensatory damages to a sick smoker and $500,000 in damages to his wife.

Today a Dade County Circuit Court jury decided Philip Morris USA and other cigarette makers are not responsible for the injuries a former flight attendant claims were caused by her workplace exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).

The U.S. Supreme Court today set aside an Oregon appellate court's June 2002 opinion affirming a $79.5 million punitive damage award to a smoker's estate, and directed the appellate court to reconsider the case in view of its recent opinion in State Farm v. Campbell.

Philip Morris USA said the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit seeking damages on behalf of a class of private plaintiffs under the federal Medicare Secondary Payer Act (MSP), one of the laws that formed the original basis for the Justice Department’s lawsuit against the tobacco industry.

The California Court of Appeal, citing the recent United States Supreme Court opinion in State Farm, yesterday vacated the $25 million punitive damage award in Henley v. Philip Morris USA.

In a 16-page opinion issued today, a federal appellate court has upheld the dismissal of all damages claims sought in a health care cost reimbursement lawsuit filed in 1998 against Philip Morris USA and other tobacco companies by two Minnesota-based health maintenance organizations (HMOs).

The Engle plaintiffs have offered no valid legal reasons why Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal should reconsider its decision earlier this year to overturn the $145 billion judgment in the case and have the class decertified, according to a legal brief filed today by Philip Morris USA and other tobacco companies.

Altria Group, Inc. has awarded grants totaling $594,500 to 18 leading nonprofit organizations across the country that are working to break the cycle of poverty and hunger by offering culinary training to help unemployed adults develop the skills needed to find and maintain employment in the food service industry.

The National Urban League honored five executives of the Altria family of companies with the prestigious Donald H. McGannon Award during the League’s 2003 Annual Conference here.

Madison County Circuit Court Judge Nicholas Byron today ordered Philip Morris USA to post a bond of $12 billion, the amount of the bond he had originally established, or face enforcement of the $10.1 billion judgment in the Price class action lawsuit.

After nearly five days of deliberations, a Los Angeles County Superior Court jury returned a verdict in favor of the company in a lawsuit brought by Frederic Reller, 64, who had claimed he was unaware of the risks of smoking.

Philip Morris USA said today’s rejection by a Louisiana jury of medical monitoring claims brought by a class of mostly healthy smokers illustrates the flaws in such claims, and more importantly, in tobacco class actions lawsuits.

The National Urban League and Altria Group, Inc. have announced the 2003 launch of the well-received economic empowerment program, Know Your Money™.

Altria Group, Inc. and Liz Claiborne Inc. today announced the launch of Safe@work (http://www.safeatworkcoalition.org), a website that businesses of all sizes can use to develop and implement programs and policies addressing the impact of domestic violence in the workplace.

Philip Morris USA today asked the Illinois Supreme Court to prevent the Price class action plaintiffs from attempting to enforce a $10.1 billion judgment until it decides whether the reduced bond established by the trial court was proper.

An Illinois appellate court today ruled the trial judge exceeded his authority in reducing the bond Philip Morris USA must post to stay enforcement of the $10.1 billion judgment in the Price class action lawsuit, and sent the issue back to the trial court for further consideration.

A federal judge in Nevada has denied class certification in five cases filed by smokers against Philip Morris USA, and the company believes the decision could have a significant impact on similar class-action requests pending in Nevada and elsewhere.

To help end hunger among the nation's frail elderly, Altria has awarded more than $1.2 million in grants to 15 non-profit partnerships across the country through its new Senior Helpings Community Coalitions grant program.

A Missouri Circuit Court jury today returned a unanimous verdict in favor of Philip Morris USA and two other tobacco companies in a case brought by a smoker.

The Whitney Museum of American Art at Altria, a free midtown museum with approximately 100,000 visitors per year, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The opening in 1983 of this branch of the Whitney Museum marked the first time a corporation established and fully funded a museum as an integral part of its offices.

The Illinois Supreme Court today declined to accept a direct appeal of the $10.1 billion verdict against Philip Morris USA handed down in March by a Madison County Circuit Court in the Price class-action “lights” lawsuit.

A justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court today decertified a ‘lights’ class action alleging Philip Morris USA improperly marketed Marlboro Lights cigarettes. The liability and damages theories were similar to those in the Price class action case, now on appeal in Illinois.

U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler today ruled the Department of Justice claims related to cigarette advertising, marketing, promotions and health warnings in the government’s lawsuit against major American tobacco companies cannot be dismissed from the government’s case at this time.

Philip Morris USA has joined with other tobacco companies and prominent national and state business organizations in asking the Illinois Supreme Court to limit the amount of bond required to stay enforcement of a judgment pending the appeal of an adverse verdict in class action cases or those in which punitive damages are awarded.

Philip Morris USA today asked the Illinois Supreme Court to expedite Philip Morris USA’s effort to overturn the $10.1 billion verdict handed down in March by a Madison County Circuit Court in the Price class action “lights” lawsuit.

An Illinois state court judge today affirmed his earlier decision approving a bond that permits Philip Morris USA to appeal last month’s $10.1 billion verdict in the Price “Lights” class action case.

In recognition of Altria Group, Inc.'s commitment to domestic violence awareness and prevention, Safe Horizon presented its 25th Anniversary Leadership Award to Altria's chairman and chief executive officer Louis C. Camilleri on May 6, 2003.

Philip Morris USA will seek review of the $10.1 billion verdict in the Price class action lawsuit by Illinois appellate courts in light of Madison County Circuit Judge Nicholas Byron’s decision today to affirm his earlier verdict in the case.

Philip Morris USA today asked Madison County Circuit Court Judge Nicholas Byron to overturn the $10.1 billion verdict he issued in the Price class action lawsuit on March 21, or significantly reduce the amount of damages he awarded.

Madison County Circuit Court Judge Nicholas Byron today reduced the size of the bond that Philip Morris USA must provide in order to obtain a stay of execution of the judgment while the Price case is on appeal.

Masterpieces from one of the world’s finest collections of French art will be on view July 27 through October 13 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

A federal appeals court today affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by Blue Cross-Blue Shield subscribers in Tennessee.

Philip Morris USA today asked a Madison County state court to reduce the $12 billion bond required in order to appeal the $10.1 billion Price class action verdict (formerly known as the Miles case) and also petitioned another state court to halt any attempt by Illinois to collect $3 billion in punitive damages awarded to the state.

Philip Morris USA will appeal a state court jury’s decision today to award $6.538 million in compensatory damages to a 74-year-old former smoker because it is inconsistent with the law and the facts of the case.

Altria Group, Inc., the parent company of Kraft Foods Inc., Philip Morris International Inc. and Philip Morris USA Inc., has awarded more than $2.6 million in grants to 123 arts organizations in New York City for the 2002-2003 arts season.

Philip Morris USA Inc. will seek an immediate review of today’s decision by a trial judge in Madison County, Ill. to award a worldwide class of Marlboro Lights and Cambridge Lights smokers $7.1005 billion in compensatory damages.

Philip Morris USA will ask the California Supreme Court to review yesterday’s Henley decision by the California Court of Appeals.

Philip Morris USA Inc., the domestic tobacco subsidiary of Altria Group, Inc., today announced that it will relocate its New York-based corporate headquarters to the Richmond, Virginia area.

Today a U.S. District Court jury returned a verdict in favor of Philip Morris USA Inc. in a case brought by the family of a smoker.

Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal today affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit on behalf of a Peruvian smoker, ruling that Florida was not the proper forum for such a suit.

Thirteen U.S. agricultural organizations will share $260,000 in Shared Solutions^SM Agricultural Contributions grants, awarded by Altria Group, Inc.

Today a Queens Supreme Court jury returned a verdict in favor of Philip Morris USA Inc. in a case brought by the family of a smoker.

Today a four-judge panel of the New York Appellate Division affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit brought in 2000 against Philip Morris USA Inc. and other tobacco companies by 170 New York hospitals seeking damages for costs they allegedly incurred to treat injured smokers.

Today a Dade County Circuit Court jury decided Philip Morris USA and other cigarette makers are not responsible for injuries alleged by a flight attendant as a result of his workplace exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).

A California jury today returned a verdict in favor of Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. in a case brought by a smoker.

The Altria family of companies, through the Shared Solutions^SM Agricultural Initiative, and the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) program are joining forces to develop tomorrow’s agricultural leaders.

Farmers and ranchers are becoming more aware of what consumers want from their food supply system, but must keep working to meet those expectations, according to a new study of U.S. farmer and consumer attitudes.

Today a 12-person Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas jury rejected claims against Philip Morris USA brought by the family of deceased smoker Katie Wimbush Carter following a two-week trial. At least 10 jurors had to agree in order to reach a verdict.

At the end of a three-week trial, on Tuesday, December 31, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., ruling that the plaintiffs had not introduced sufficient evidence to support their claims.

Philip Morris USA will pursue all further avenues of appeal including asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review an Oregon appellate court’s opinion issued last summer which upheld a jury’s decision in 1999 to award punitive damages in a smoker’s case that are 97 times greater than the compensatory damages awarded.

To help strengthen the safety net available to survivors of domestic violence, Philip Morris Companies Inc. today announced its largest domestic violence grant-making effort to date: a $5 million commitment over two years to more than 100 nonprofit organizations in 24 states and the District of Columbia.

Philip Morris Companies Inc. is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its support of dance by contributing $1.8 million to more than 100 dance organizations and artists across the country in the 2002-2003 season. This brings the three-decade total to more than $30 million in support of dance creation and presentation and has resulted in the advancement of dance companies, presenters and service organizations throughout the United States and the development of diverse choreographic voices through new works initiatives.

Philip Morris USA will begin preparations to appeal a state court jury’s award to a sick smoker, the punitive damages portion of which was reduced today by the trial judge from $28 billion to $28 million.

For more than 23 years, the Minority Business Executive Program (MBEP) at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth has been providing minority companies with the same top-quality business training that is available to Fortune 500 corporations.

The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) presented Philip Morris Companies with the prestigious "Corporation of the Year" Award at its 30th Anniversary Awards Gala on October 30th in Los Angeles, in recognition of the company's exemplary achievements in the area of minority business development.

Philip Morris Companies Inc. joined the New York Women’s Agenda and the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV) today to host a national conference entitled “Security and Domestic Violence in the Workplace.”

Corporate Award to be Presented to Philip Morris Worldwide Law Department for Excellence in Providing Assistance to Communities and those Impacted by 9/11.

Philip Morris USA will appeal a California jury’s verdict in favor of a smoker and believes it should be overturned because it is inconsistent with the evidence and applicable law.

Philip Morris USA said today’s verdict for the company and other cigarette makers in the fifth Environmental Tobacco Smoke flight attendant case to go to trial was the right decision based on the claims made by the plaintiff.

Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal yesterday upheld a lower court’s dismissal of a medical cost-recovery lawsuit filed by the Republic of Venezuela against Philip Morris USA and other major cigarette makers.

American audiences will have the first opportunity to see masterpieces from the unparalleled painting collection of Moscow’s State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts on December 15 when Old Masters, Impressionists, and Moderns: French Masterworks from the State Pushkin Museum, Moscow opens at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Philip Morris USA and the nation’s other major cigarette makers today filed their final appellate brief in the Engle class action case, and the state’s Third District Court of Appeal is expected to schedule oral argument soon.

Philip Morris USA will ask the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to reject a class-certification order entered Thursday by U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein.

A California judge intends to dismiss a state-wide class-action case alleging that cigarette advertising misled minors and caused them to smoke.

A Miami judge has reduced a recent verdict in favor of a flight attendant by more than 90 percent; the ruling will provide a basis for an appeal that should clarify how such cases are tried in the future, Philip Morris USA said today.

Philip Morris USA said today’s verdict for the company and other cigarette makers was the right decision based upon the claims made by the plaintiff.

Remarks by Michael E. Szymanczyk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Philip Morris USA Inc. at Prudential Securities’ Back-to-School Consumer Conference.

Philip Morris Companies Inc. (NYSE:MO) will host a live audio webcast of a presentation from its domestic tobacco operating company at the Prudential Securities’ Annual Back-To-School Conference at www.philipmorris.com on September 4, 2002 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

The California Supreme Court ruled today that a 1998 statute was not intended to retroactively repeal California’s limitation on claims against cigarette makers.

The National Urban League (NUL) and Philip Morris Companies Inc. today announced their partnership in the creation and implementation of Know Your Money™.

Philip Morris Companies Inc. is pleased that the U.S. District Court in Denver has turned down a request by a local venture capital company to preliminarily enjoin Philip Morris Companies Inc. from changing its name to Altria Group, Inc.

Philip Morris USA said it will appeal a Miami jury’s decision to award $5.5 million in compensatory damages to a flight attendant who claimed exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke caused her chronic sinusitis.

The Indiana Agricultural Leadership Institute has been awarded a $15,000 consumer education grant from Philip Morris Management Corporation’s 2002 Shared Solutions (SM) Agricultural Contributions program, which will help it to continue providing skills training to emerging agricultural leaders.

The lack of sound information about the feasibility of anaerobic digestion for generating renewable energy and protecting water quality prompted The Minnesota Project, a St. Paul-based organization dedicated to sustainable development and environmental protection in rural areas, to partner with Philip Morris Management Corp.

The Nebraska Foundation for Agricultural Awareness is creating a set of CD-ROMs to help middle school teachers in Nebraska conduct nine biotechnology-related laboratory exercises and classroom activities, thanks to a $27,500 grant from Philip Morris Management Corporation’s Shared Solutions^SM Agricultural Contributions program.

The American Farm Bureau (AFB) Foundation for Agriculture is stepping up its efforts to educate middle school students about the importance of biotechnology, thanks to a $27,500 consumer education grant received from Philip Morris Management Corporation’s Shared Solutions^SM Agricultural Contributions program.

The Cook County (Ill.) Farm Bureau Foundation will use a $5,000 consumer education grant received from Philip Morris Management Corporation’s Shared Solutions^SM Agricultural Contributions program to expand its “Ag-in-the-Classroom” program into fourth grade classrooms of Chicago’s public schools.

Philip Morris USA will appeal a jury’s decision to award $37.5 million in damages to a 76-year-old former Florida smoker and his wife because it is inconsistent with the law and the facts of the case. More importantly, the two-week trial vividly illustrated why the Engle verdicts are unconstitutional and should be reversed and the class decertified.

The Oregon Court of Appeals today rejected an appeal by Philip Morris USA of the 1999 verdict in the Williams-Branch case and the company said it will seek further review by the Oregon Supreme Court.

Over the past eight months since the terrorist attacks of September 11, food banks and food rescue organizations across the nation have struggled to keep up with an increased need for emergency food assistance.

Two consumer education grants from Philip Morris Management Corporation’s Shared Solutions^SM agricultural program are helping to promote understanding and appreciation for agriculture in Maryland residents’ everyday life.

A Pinellas County jury today returned a unanimous verdict in favor of Philip Morris USA in a case brought by a former smoker.

The Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation’s Education Foundation has been awarded a $20,000 agricultural consumer education grant from Philip Morris Management Corporation’s Shared Solutions^SM program to design and produce three traveling exhibits, which will educate consumers about the complexities of today’s agricultural production process.

The Fond du Lac (Wis.) Association of Commerce Foundation, through its Agricultural Ambassador Program, has designed cranberry and pizza projects to bring elementary and middle school students closer to agriculture by bringing agriculture to them.

FARMS Leadership Inc. is expanding its agricultural and environmental stewardship program to two more sites – San Luis Obispo and Fresno – thanks to a $20,000 consumer education grant from Philip Morris Management Corporation’s Shared Solutions^SM Agricultural Contributions program.

The Philip Morris family of companies has extended a helping hand totaling $50,000 to the National Corn Growers Association Foundation and the W.J. Morse Foundation of the American Soybean Association.

Philip Morris USA will mount a vigorous appeal of an award, which now includes $100 million in punitive damages, to the family of an Oregon smoker.

A case brought by the Republic of the Marshall Islands against the United States cigarette industry ended today with a ruling from the country’s Supreme Court upholding the dismissal of the case for lack of evidence.

A federal judge in the United States District Court in Greensboro, North Carolina has dismissed a lawsuit filed against Philip Morris USA by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Brown and Williamson and Lorillard concerning Philip Morris USA’s retail merchandising programs.

Philip Morris Companies Inc., the founding corporate sponsor of community kitchens nationwide, has enabled hundreds of men and women across the country to develop the personal and culinary skills necessary to find steady employment in the food-service industry since awarding its first Philip Morris Community Kitchens grant in 1997.

Struggling with the burden of a significant fund-raising shortfall, yet intent on maintaining its commitment to people living with HIV/AIDS, Project Angel Food today announced it has received emergency corporate funding to continue a successful home-delivered meals program for Hispanics in Los Angeles County.

Philip Morris USA will appeal a jury’s decision to award approximately $150 million in compensatory and punitive damages to the estate of a smoker because it is inconsistent with the law and with the facts of the case.

A federal jury has returned a verdict in favor of Philip Morris USA in a case brought by the family of a Rhode Island smoker.

Thanks to a $15,000 consumer education grant from the Philip Morris Management Corp., teachers and elementary school pupils will continue to receive the latest educational materials about the importance of soybeans in agriculture and industry through the Indiana Soybean Board’s popular Soybean Science Kit.

The Great Frederick Fair, Inc. plans to expand its “City Streets, Country Roads” exhibit, making it a permanent facility that can be used year-round by school groups, and civic and agricultural organizations.

The Philip Morris family of companies has awarded a $25,000 grant to the W.J. Morse Foundation of the American Soybean Association to be used in the foundation’s Trade Liberalization Education Program.

A Miami federal judge has dismissed with prejudice lawsuits brought by Ecuador, Belize and Honduras that sought to hold various Philip Morris entities and other U.S. tobacco companies liable for tax revenues allegedly lost by the governments as a result of the smuggling of cigarettes.

The YWCA of the City of New York has inducted four senior executives from the Philip Morris family of companies into the ranks of its Academy of Women Achievers, a distinguished group of more than 2,000 of the country’s most prominent women recognized for their outstanding professional accomplishments.

A Brooklyn federal judge today dismissed two lawsuits that were seeking to hold various Philip Morris entities and other U.S. companies liable for tax revenues allegedly lost by the governments as a result of the smuggling of cigarettes.

Fearing as recently as November that it would have no choice but to end a successful college preparatory program for minority public school students, the Urban League of Battle Creek today announced it has secured new funding to continue its leadership development program, known as Future Force.

Honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy of community service, employees of the Philip Morris family of companies today took part in a coordinated volunteer effort in the tri-state area, lending support to 46 nursing homes, soup kitchens and food pantries, domestic violence crisis shelters and other local social service organizations.

Philip Morris Management Corp. announces 13 winners of grants awarded through its 2002 Shared Solutions^SM Agricultural Contributions program.

A highlight of the Executive Leadership Council’s (ELC) 13th Annual Recognition Awards Dinner held in Washington, D.C. on October 18th was the announcement of the Corporate Board of Directors Development Program by the ELC and Philip Morris Companies.

The California Farm Bureau is helping to protect water quality in the greater Monterey Bay watershed, thanks to a $55,000 grant from the Philip Morris Management Corporation.

Water quality issues in the Bosque River Basin may be closer to resolution, thanks to a $50,000 grant to the Texas Farm Bureau from the Philip Morris Management Corporation through its Shared Solutions^SM Agricultural Initiative.

Philip Morris USA and the nation’s other major tobacco companies filed their opening brief appealing the plaintiffs’ verdicts in the Engle class action case. The brief was filed with Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal, the state’s intermediate appellate court.

A Florida state judge today dismissed two health-care cost-recovery lawsuits brought by the Republic of Venezuela and the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo against Philip Morris USA and the other major U.S. cigarette manufacturers.

Philip Morris Companies Inc., parent to tobacco, food and beer producing companies, today announced it will ask shareholders to approve changing its name to Altria Group, Inc. The corporation stressed that its operating companies; Philip Morris USA, Philip Morris International, Miller Brewing and Kraft Foods will retain their current names.

A West Virginia jury’s decision rejecting medical monitoring for thousands of smokers in the state stands for the common-sense proposition that tobacco companies should not be required to pay for medical testing for healthy smokers who have made an informed choice to smoke.

Philip Morris USA will ask the California Supreme Court to review a lower court’s decision in the Henley case that awarded the plaintiff $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages.

The U.S. Supreme Court today declined to review a decision by an appeals court that upheld the dismissal of lawsuits brought by Guatemala, Nicaragua and the Ukraine against American tobacco companies.

In an ongoing effort to raise awareness of the far-reaching and debilitating effects of domestic violence, prominent judicial, civic, business and religious leaders gathered on Thursday, October 25th to highlight the impact of abuse on the workplace and to urge employers to make this a priority business issue.

A U.S. District Court jury decided today that Philip Morris USA and three other tobacco companies were not responsible for the death of a former smoker who died of lung cancer nearly 30 years after he smoked his last cigarette.

Philip Morris Companies Inc. today announced its annual grant awards to community organizations that provide nutritious meals to frail and homebound elderly, many of whom face physical or financial challenges that prevent them from obtaining regular, nourishing meals.

Philip Morris Cos. Inc. and its operating companies extended their efforts in assisting the victims of last week’s tragedy giving monetary contributions and volunteer efforts to those who need help in New York and Washington.

Philip Morris Cos. Inc. and its operating companies wish to join others in corporate America in assisting the victims of last week’s tragedy.

Today, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) released the 2001-2002 National Directory of Hispanic Organizations, a resource for the general public on Hispanic-serving community-based organizations (CBO) and federal agencies.

Federal courts in Texas and New Mexico have dismissed two lawsuits filed by Native American tribes against major domestic tobacco companies seeking reimbursement for treatment of tobacco-related diseases.

Philip Morris USA will mount an aggressive appeal in a case involving a sick smoker in which the trial judge reduced the jury’s punitive damages verdict from $3 billion to $100 million.

Philip Morris USA will mount an aggressive appeal challenging Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charles W. McCoy’s refusal today to overturn a jury’s $3 billion punitive damage award to a sick smoker.

Philip Morris International and Massalin Particulares Accept Humanitarian Awards for Disaster Assistance Efforts in Hemisphere

The European Community (EC) today filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against Philip Morris, R. J. Reynolds and several of their affiliated companies.

On August 6, 2001 attorneys for Philip Morris USA will argue post trial motions in the Boeken case before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charles W. McCoy.

In the 2001-02 season, the LINCOLN CENTER JAZZ ORCHESTRA (LCJO) WITH WYNTON MARSALIS, the world-renowned resident orchestra of Jazz at Lincoln Center (J@LC), will embark on its most extensive national tour to date, entitled United in Swing.

U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler has rejected attempts by the Department of Justice to have two counts of its lawsuit against Philip Morris USA and other tobacco companies reinstated.

Another former manufacturer of asbestos products has voluntarily withdrawn its lawsuit against Philip Morris USA and other tobacco companies in federal court here, and a Mississippi state court judge has dismissed a similar claim brought by Owens Corning.

An Arizona state court judge has rejected an effort to certify a consumer fraud class action lawsuit on behalf of smokers who purchased "light" cigarettes manufactured by Philip Morris USA

Last month a study commissioned by the Czech affiliate of Philip Morris International was released. The funding and public release of this study which, among other things, detailed purported cost savings to the Czech Republic due to premature deaths of smokers, exhibited terrible judgment as well as a complete and unacceptable disregard of basic human values.

Philip Morris officials today announced a company-wide effort to support flood-ravaged West Virginia communities with contributions of cash, food and water.

Lawyers for Philip Morris met with representatives of the Department of Justice today to discuss the government's lawsuit against the tobacco industry.

A federal district court judge in Brooklyn has dismissed the lawsuit filed by the European Community (EC) against Philip Morris and other tobacco companies over allegations involving smuggling of contraband cigarettes because, under the applicable law, the EC has not been injured.

Philip Morris Partners with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies to Release Electronic Directory on Internet. For more than 20 years, Philip Morris Companies Inc. has produced the National Directory of African-American Organizations, the most definitive and comprehensive resource tool for identifying and researching black organizations.

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit set for trial next month against Philip Morris USA filed by Donald LaBelle on behalf of his wife, Christine, a smoker with lung cancer who died in 1997 at the age of 41.

A federal judge in Nevada has rejected a bid to certify classes of smokers and nonsmokers in four cases seeking medical monitoring for tobacco-related illnesses. All of the cases, particularly the three involving casino workers, had been closely watched as bellwethers in tobacco litigation.

Plankinton native Larry Stiefvater will present a $20,000 contribution to the effort underway to rebuild the Plankinton School, which was destroyed by an explosion last fall.

The Manville Trust has abandoned its lawsuit against the major domestic cigarette companies. The lawsuit, known as the Falise case, sought to recover more than $1 billion in payments allegedly made by or on behalf of Johns Manville Corporation to asbestos workers for injuries from asbestos and smoking.

Thanks to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s (IFFS) Fishermen’s Project, five area residents who have battled homelessness, substance abuse and other adversities, are entering a new phase of life, filled with new opportunities and full-time employment.

The Business Council and The Leaders Forum are coming together for the first time ever to host a meeting that will focus on the issue of corporate board diversity in Milwaukee’s business community.

Philip Morris has been invited by the Department of Justice to meet with representatives of the Department regarding the Department's lawsuit.

Philip Morris has not been approached about settlement of the Department of Justice lawsuit, nor have we approached anyone about settlement of this lawsuit.

Philip Morris USA said it will appeal a Los Angeles jury's verdict in favor of a smoker and believes that it should be overturned because it is inconsistent with the evidence and the applicable law.

A federal jury's ruling that U.S. cigarette companies are liable for the smoking-related health care costs paid by Empire Health Choice for its subscribers should be overturned because the case should never have gone to trial and the jury was given incorrect instructions in the law it must follow, according to Philip Morris.

Two of the prestigious National Hispanic Corporate Achievers Awards will be presented to Rafael Garcia, senior manager, external affairs, Philip Morris Management Corp., and Victor Manuel Franco, community affairs manager, Miller Brewing Company, at a ceremony on Friday, June 1, 2001, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.

A unanimous three-judge federal appellate panel has upheld the dismissal of lawsuits brought by Guatemala, Nicaragua and the Ukraine against U.S. tobacco companies seeking reimbursement for money spent to treat smoking-related illnesses for their citizens.

A unanimous New Brunswick jury today rejected claims by the estate of a former smoker and returned a verdict in favor of Philip Morris USA and R. J. Reynolds.

Today eleven adults enter a new phase of life thanks to the Bread & Butter Cafe. Full-time employment and new opportunities await the latest graduating class of the Cafe’s job-training program.

Philip Morris Companies Inc. announced today that its domestic tobacco subsidiary, Philip Morris USA, has obtained the trial court’s approval of an agreement between Philip Morris USA and the Engle that ensures that the Engle judgment will remain stayed throughout the company’s appeal of the Engle verdict.

Citymeals-on-Wheels announced today that more than 1,200 frail homebound elderly New Yorkers – many in Manhattan – will receive daily home-delivered meals thanks to a two-year, $2 million grant from the Philip Morris Companies.

A new life awaits the dozen students who are graduating today from the Community Culinary School of Charlotte (CCSC) thanks to the school’s innovative job training program.

The Indiana Supreme Court today affirmed a 1996 jury verdict in favor of Philip Morris and three other companies, ruling that the trial judge's contact with the jury during its deliberation had no effect on the trial's outcome.

A Florida state court judge ruled yesterday that he would dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Republic of Ecuador against Philip Morris USA and other U.S. cigarette manufacturers. The oral ruling follows 10 consecutive federal appellate decisions rejecting similar health care cost recovery cases.

A jury’s decision today that tobacco companies are not responsible for a former flight attendant’s illness is consistent with the evidence presented during the case, Philip Morris said.

The purpose of this backgrounder is to provide the news media with a concise reference document on this litigation. It is not a court document.

Remarks by Geoffrey C. Bible, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Philip Morris USA Inc. at the Council of Institutional Investors Spring Meeting.

Engaging new work by 28 young black artists poised to emerge in the 21st century will be on view at The Studio Museum in Harlem this spring.

An Illinois federal judge has rejected a request for action certification in a lawsuit against tobacco companies seeking medical monitoring and smoking cessation programs for current and former smokers.

Ten major corporations will convene in New York on March 28th for induction into the Billion Dollar Roundtable (BDR), a new initiative of corporations that each spend more that $1 billion annually with minority and women-owned businesses.

The purpose of this backgrounder is to provide the news media with a concise reference document concerning this litigation. It is not a court document.

Some of Connecticut’s most prominent corporate and civic leaders will join forces with experts and advocates at the Corporate Conference on Domestic Violence today at the Westin Hotel in Stamford from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon.

The purpose of this backgrounder is to provide the news media with a concise reference document concerning this litigation. It is not a court document.

When misfortune strikes, entire communities are affected, and immediate assistance is critical. For more than four decades, the Philip Morris Companies has responded to the emergency needs of the communities where we live and work, around the corner and around the world.

A federal jury's inability to reach a verdict in the Falise trial shows why the case against Philip Morris Inc. and other tobacco companies should have been dismissed, a fate 60 other similar cases have met.

A Brooklyn jury today rejected claims by the husband and daughter of a former smoker for compensatory and punitive damages and returned a verdict in favor of cigarette manufacturers.

The purpose of this backgrounder is to provide the news media with a concise reference document on this litigation.

Philip Morris Inc. announced today it will immediately post the $100 million bond required by Florida law in order to stay execution of the judgment in the Engle action case and will begin the appeals process.

Philip Morris is fully prepared to return to Dade Circuit Court and press ahead with its defense of the Engle case, and the company believes a lengthy list of mistakes committed at trial ultimately will require the court to set aside July's $145 billion punitive damages verdict.

Leading civic and corporate authorities join forces today with prominent experts and advocates at the Fifth Annual Corporate Conference on Domestic Violence, sponsored by the Domestic Violence Council of the New York Women’s Agenda and Philip Morris Companies Inc. National experts will help raise awareness, facilitate dialogue and share best practices to assist victims in the workplace.

A Miami jury's $145 billion verdict in the punitive phase of the Engle case defies common sense and Florida law. It should not survive appeal.

Philip Morris today said the verdicts in the Engle case demonstrate why the case should not have been allowed to proceed as a class action.