THIS WEEK'S lopsided Senate vote to repeal an absurd $50
billion tax credit for tobacco companies should have
enough force to bring around a less certain House of
Representatives.

In the last days of negotiations on a tax cut bill two
months ago, a provision to give the tobacco industry a
$50 billion credit was quietly added and passed,
reportedly as a way to assure passage of the tax cut.

That highcost, lowprofile sop to cigarette
manufacturers was approved even as the nation engaged in
a debate on how to punish an industry that suppressed
information about the health hazards of its products,
manipulated nicotine levels to addict smokers and
targeted teenagers in its slick ad campaigns. Passage of
the $50 billion credit was a sneaky, cynical act that
deserved swift reversal, and the House should quickly
follow the lead of the Senate, which voted 95 to 3 on
Wednesday to repeal it.

At the same time, politicians and the public should not
be too hasty in condemning to oblivion the proposed
$368.5 billion tobacco settlement that is being
considered in Congress. While the proposal as written
has serious weaknesses, negotiations are under way to
correct the defects. They mostly have to do with the
regulatory authority of the Food and Drug
Administration, penalties against tobacco companies that
don't meet goals for reducing teen smoking and a tax
deduction for settlement payments. Negotiators have
reported some progress on those issues. With changes,
the outofcourt settlement could result in greatly
discouraging teen smoking and ultimately improving the
nation's health. But vociferous critics currently
outnumber advocates, as reflected locally in this week's
vote by the Marin County supervisors in opposition to
the settlement.

Congress should listen to the concerns, but should keep
them in context

this settlement is a work in progress, not a final
document.

R.J. Reynolds' decision to pay $10 million to 14
California cities and counties including San
Francisco, San Jose and Marin County over its Joe
Camel advertising campaign shows that the cigarette
manufacturers are running scared.

The national settlement could enact curbs on marketing
and advertising targeted at young people that could
never be achieved by jury judgments or regulatory
decisions. A national settlement is still worth working
for.

_ The Chronicle Publishing Company