▁element ▁that ▁cont ributes ▁to ▁the ▁promotion ▁of ▁to b acco ▁or ▁give ▁an ▁err one ous ▁impression ▁of ▁certain ▁characteristics ". ▁Four ▁major ▁to b acco ▁companies ▁have ▁written ▁to ▁the ▁government ▁seeking ▁clar ification ▁on ▁the ▁potential ▁law , ▁calling ▁for ▁an ▁ur gent ▁meeting ▁to ▁discuss ▁the ▁details ▁of ▁the ▁plan . ▁In ▁the ▁letter ▁they ▁acc use ▁French ▁health ▁minister ▁Mar is ol ▁T ou raine ▁of ▁an ▁" ar bitr ary ▁and ▁dis pro port ion ate " ▁application ▁of ▁EU ▁direct ives . ▁ ▁Leg al ▁problems ▁The ▁cig aret te ▁was ▁manufact ured ▁by ▁SE IT A ▁but ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁land mark ▁year . ▁The ▁legal ▁difficulties ▁cry st all ised ▁when ▁a ▁French ▁health ▁ins urance ▁fund ▁file d ▁a ▁ 5 1 . 3 3 ▁million ▁franc ▁($ ▁million ) ▁ ▁law suit ▁against ▁four ▁cig aret te ▁companies , ▁including ▁SE IT A , ▁to ▁cover ▁the ▁estimated ▁and ▁continu ing ▁costs ▁of ▁tre ating ▁the ▁ill ness es ▁linked ▁to ▁cig aret te ▁sm oking . ▁This ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁an ▁action ▁file d ▁by ▁the ▁family ▁of ▁a ▁dece ased ▁heavy ▁sm oker ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁state ▁health ▁ins urer , ▁C ais se ▁Prima ire ▁d ' Ass urance ▁Mal ad ie , ▁claim ing ▁compens ation ▁for ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁dece ased ' s ▁medical ▁treatment ▁and ▁for ▁producing ▁a ▁dangerous ▁and ▁add ict ive ▁product . ▁Con sequently , ▁brand