HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — The state of Connecticut has received $124.6 million for its annual payment from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, according to an announcement from Attorney General William Tong.

Tong is now calling on the state to focus more of their efforts on smoking and vaping prevention.

In 1998, attorney generals from 52 states and territories in the United States reached a settlement with four tobacco companies, for selling products that contributed to smoking-related illnesses. The settlement payments are intended to compensate states for healthcare costs that states pay for residents suffering from illnesses caused by smoking.

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The payments are made in perpetuity, as long as tobacco companies continue to sell their products to the 52 states and territories.

The state has received $3,104,052,598 from tobacco companies under the agreement to date.

“The multistate tobacco settlement has had profound impacts on public health—dramatically driving down youth smoking across the United States. But our work is not done. Look no further than our recent settlement with vaping giant JUUL Labs and Big Tobacco’s efforts there to lure new generations of youth into a lifetime of nicotine addiction,” Tong said.