AG Drew Edmondson says tobacco company not paying up

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Attorney General Drew Edmondson says 12 tobacco manufacturers have failed to establish or put enough money into escrow accounts. <br/><br/>The money is meant to pay for any future

Thursday, September 16th 2004, 6:23 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Attorney General Drew Edmondson says 12 tobacco manufacturers have failed to establish or put enough money into escrow accounts.

The money is meant to pay for any future legal claims Oklahoma may have against the companies, which have all sold their products in Oklahoma.

The companies are required to pay into the accounts because they're not part of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement.

Edmondson filed lawsuits against the companies Tuesday in an effort to get them to pay and comply with Oklahoma law.

Most of the companies are based outside the United States. One, CigTec Tobacco L-L-C, is based in Virginia, and another, Ridgeway Brands Manufacturing L-L-C, is based in North Carolina.