While people may have seen individuals with a jacket that reads "ATF Agent", they may have only a vague understanding of what the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) does. As a law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice, the ATF is "dedicated to preventing terrorism, reducing violent crime, and protecting our Nation." On the homepage, users can read...

In a major victory for cigarette manufacturers and a setback for the Clinton Administration, the nation's highest court ruled Tuesday that the government does not have the authority to regulate tobacco as an addictive drug. The case, on appeal from the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, concerns the sweeping new regulations introduced by the Food and Drug Administration in 1996 with the...

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has prepared a report analyzing the impact of the proposed tobacco settlement's impact on consumers and industry. In the report, CBO estimates the reduction in smoking under various scenarios if the settlement is implemented. The report also examines the impact of regulation on public health provisions, tobacco industry payments, and targets for teen smoking....

TRAC, a nonpartisan "data gathering, data research and data distribution organization" located at Syracuse University (last reviewed in the April 16, 1999 Scout Report-- http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/report/sr/1999/scout-990416.html#4), has put up a new edition of its Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) site. Drawing data from a variety of sources, TRAC has found that referrals for federal...