The national settlement with tobacco companies will bestow an additional $7 billion windfall on the state, to be paid over 25 years.

"And they don't want any potentially negative decision to influence the national settlement."

A lot of people won't go into the national settlement.

New Israel, like the other national settlements, had a charged, explosive quality.

"I have confidence that there will be a national settlement of some sort," he added.

Because the plan is designed to be a national settlement, the tobacco companies could withdraw if too few states join.

And they add that the best measure of the industry's intent is its willingness to enter into a national settlement.

Everybody also notes that if approved, the national settlement would supersede this deal.

The national settlement calls for an independent oversight panel of marketing and public health experts.

In 1998, the tobacco companies reached a $246 billion national settlement, giving the 46 states involved 25 years of reimbursement payments.