Swift action by US government on tobacco deal now unlikely

The chances of swift US government approval of the landmark tobacco settlement are receding because the White House has yet to take a strong stand on the deal and Congress appears ready to delay action into next year.

More than two months have passed since major tobacco companies agreed with US states to pay some $368.5 billion (£250 billion) over 25 years and make health and marketing concessions in exchange for limits to future legal liability.

The deal requires the blessing of President Clinton and legislation approved by Congress to take effect.

White House tobacco policy experts plan to brief Mr Clinton after he returns from his vacation and a spokesman said the President will take "the next couple of weeks" to mull over the tobacco task force's report.

President Clinton criticised elements of the accord, notably calling for stronger guarantees of the Food and Drug Administration power to regulate nicotine. The White House is also widely expected to seek tougher penalties if tobacco companies fail to reach targets for reducing youth smoking. Proponents of the deal, like the leading negotiator for Mississippi, its Attorney General Mr Mike Moore, expect the President Clinton to embrace the proposal with few additional caveats.

The longer the proposal languishes, the more opportunities critics have to attack it. And the political fate of the settlement could still be affected by lawsuits pending against cigarette makers.

The proposal has come under a barrage of criticism from leading public health groups, including a former Surgeon General, Mr C. Everett Koop, and a former FDA Commissioner, Mr David Kessler.

Opinion polls have shown public doubt about the agreement, and a core group of Mr Clinton's fellow Democrats in the Senate have been holding a stream of news conferences to highlight their latest objections to the tobacco companies, which they refer to as "Big Tobacco". The Republican congressional leadership has not embraced the proposal, which originated with the state attorneys general and has no real roots within the federal legislative process.