The Legislature has passed House Bill 3536, forcing small tobacco companies to pay the penalties that big tobacco companies have paid since the 1998 Texas Tobacco Settlement. That case found that Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds and Lorillard Tobacco Company were misrepresenting and manipulating nicotine content, advertising to minors, and lying about their knowledge of tobacco's effects. Equalizing these penalties gives Big Tobacco an undeserved sales advantage by raising all cigarette prices in the state. You don't have to be a fan of tobacco to understand that this is wrong. A company not involved in a lawsuit settlement should not have to pay the penalties of companies that are involved. Tha... [Read more]