New laws limit the amount of money that tobacco companies have to post as a bond while court judgments against the companies are being appealed (normally in most non-tobacco cases the defendant has to put up the entire amount of the damages awarded to the plaintiff while the appeal fight is going on). Such laws have been passed in Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Wisconsin and introduced in other states. American Lung Association president John L. Kirkwood reacted:
"It's outrageous that state legislatures are passing laws whose only purpose is to provide special legal protection for tobacco companies."
More of the ALA's reaction: http://lungusa.org/press/tobacco/tobacco_021402.html