<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 28px; text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">This week, however, the Obama administration bowed to pressure from the tobacco industry and </span><a href="http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/fact-sheets/2013/august/fact-sheet-tobacco-and-tpp" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(32, 0, 127); font-family: Palatino, Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 28px; text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">dumped</a><span style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 28px; text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> the safe harbor provision from the trade compact. The tobacco industry was joined by other business interest groups that were fearful that the safe harbor provision would lead to other products’ being singled out in future trade accords.</span><div><span style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 28px; text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 28px; text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Full story: </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/23/opinion/why-is-obama-caving-on-tobacco.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130823&_r=0">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/23/opinion/why-is-obama-caving-on-tobacco.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130823&_r=0</a></div></body></html>