For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Contact: Nazneen Ahmed
919-716-0060

(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein released the following statement after North Carolina received the full share of its 2023 payment, $156,627,689.97, from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement settlement.

“I want to thank my colleagues at the Department of Justice for working diligently every year to ensure North Carolina receives the funds it’s due from this agreement,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I’m grateful to the Golden LEAF Foundation for investing its share of these monies in projects that give North Carolinians the tools and resources they need to build strong, stable jobs and lives.”

The Golden LEAF Foundation receives $17.5 million of the annual payments from General Assembly to support to support economic opportunities in rural North Carolina. The funds will be used for projects that include creating infrastructure, advancing workforce development,  and bringing more educational opportunities to counties. More information on the Golden LEAF Foundation is available here. 

The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement occurred in 1998 to settle the state’s claims that tobacco companies targeted advertising at children and hid the addictive nature and harmful health impact of cigarettes.

Attorney General Stein has focused his office’s resources on improving public health for North Carolinians and protecting kids from the harmful effects of smoking and vaping.

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