MINNEAPOLIS, May 8, 20087—Thursday marks the 10-year anniversary of Minnesota's historic settlement with the tobacco industry.

The settlement and the trial leading up to it made national headlines for exposing millions of tobacco industry documents. One of its effects was the creation of ClearWay Minnesota.

Funded with 3 percent of the settlement, ClearWay Minnesota has achieved significant milestones during the past decade, including comprehensive cessation services for all Minnesotans, a strong statewide smoke-free law and a nationally respected research program.

ClearWay Minnesota remains the only organization of its kind in the country, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to combatting the harm tobacco causes to people in Minnesota.