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Indian Nations Target Big Tobacco 

The lawsuit also alleges the tobacco industry deliberately targets American Indian youths through advertising campaigns designed to lure them into using tobacco products.

In an allegedly culturally exploitive advertisement, the RJ Reynolds Co. dressed up its now banished Joe Camel character in full regalia -- including an eagle feather war bonnet, beaded buckskin shirt and bone breast-plate -- for an ad that depicted Joe Camel socializing at the "Solomon and Geronimo Party." Other camels wearing eagle feathers are in the background.

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Indian tribes sue tobacco company with Granville plant 

Although its headquarters is in New Mexico, Sante Fe makes its products at a plant it opened in Oxford a couple of years ago. The company employs about 80 people at the plant, which makes a line of additive-free cigarettes called American Spirit. The company also recently began producing a line of organically grown, roll-your-own cigarette tobacco.

Santa Fe contracts primarily with North Carolina farmers to grow its organically produced tobacco.

Sante Fe was singled out in the lawsuit because the tribes contend the company has exploited the ceremonial aspect of the golden leaf to Native Americans to sell its products. The lawsuit in particular criticizes the American Spirit brand, whose packs bear the image of a Native American in full headdress smoking a ceremonial pipe. The lawsuit also accuses Sante Fe of aiming its advertising at Native Americans, especially children.

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Indian Tribes Sue Tobacco Industry 

With a poster-sized drawing of a laughing Joe Camel in an Indian headdress as the backdrop, tribal leaders announced Wednesday they had filed a multibillion-dollar lawsuit against the nation's biggest tobacco companies. . . Philip Morris attorney Michael York said it is absurd to suggest Indians are persuaded to smoke by advertisements.

``The allegation is illogical on its face because the plaintiffs would literally have to bring a Native American witness into court who said he or she decided to smoke because of something the tobacco companies said in an advertisement,'' York said.

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The allegation is illogical on its face because the plaintiffs would literally have to bring a Native American witness into court who said he or she decided to smoke because of something the tobacco companies said in an advertisement.
Philip Morris attorney Michael York. Quoted in <i>Indian Tribes Sue Tobacco Industry</i>

N.M. Tribes To Join Tobacco Suit 

Six New Mexico pueblos and 28 other tribes around the United States plan to file a lawsuit in state district court today complaining that tobacco companies and their cigarettes have wreaked havoc on American Indians' health.

Lawyers for the tribes say the companies focused on Native Americans, who begin smoking at younger ages than Anglos and smoke more, at a cost of nearly $200 million a year for treatment of smoking-related illnesses at federally supported hospitals. . . "A sacred object has been turned into a harmful product," Hale said. "Tobacco was given to us by the holy people." . . "They have marketed this with stories of 'earth boy' and others that tobacco plays an important role to Native Americans, and this is totally misleading," Branch said in a telephone interview. "These cute little stories have gotten young people hooked and addicted to cigarettes."

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Philip Morris, Others to Be Sued by 34 Indian Tribes (Correct) 

Philip Morris Cos. and six other tobacco companies will be sued this week by 34 American Indian tribes that claim the industry has targeted their teenagers through advertising campaigns, lawyers for the tribes said.

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