Editing R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (section)

===Recent history===
In 1994, then CEO James Johnston testified under oath before Congress, saying that he didn't believe that [[nicotine]] is addictive.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tobacco Chiefs Say Cigarettes Aren't Addictive|date=April 15, 1994|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/15/us/tobacco-chiefs-say-cigarettes-aren-t-addictive.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|first=Philip J.|last=Hilts}}</ref>
In 1998, the company was part of the [[Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement]] with 46 U.S. states, agreeing to pay smoking-related health care costs and restrict advertising in return for protection against private lawsuits.

In 1999, R. J. Reynolds was spun out of RJR Nabisco. The same year, the company sold all its non-U.S. operations to [[Japan Tobacco]], which made those operations into its international arm, [[Japan Tobacco International]] (JTI). Consequently, any [[Camel (cigarette)|Camels]], [[Winston (cigarette)|Winstons]] or [[Salem (cigarette)|Salems]] sold outside the United States are now owned by JTI.

In 2002, the company was fined $15 million for handing out free cigarettes at events attended by children, and was fined $20 million for breaking the 1998 Master Agreement, which restricted targeting youth in its tobacco advertisements.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/sci_tech/features/health/tobaccotrial/usa.htm
| title = BBC: Tobacco companies tell kids: 'Don't smoke!'
| access-date = 2008-06-14
}}</ref>

In 2001–2011, the European Union was involved in three civil suits against R. J. Reynolds in the [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York]], accusing the company of selling [[black market]] cigarettes to [[Illegal drug trade|drug traffickers]] and [[Gangster|mobsters]] from [[Italy]], [[Russia]], [[Colombia]] and the [[Balkans]]. The suits were unsuccessful.<ref>Helena Keers, "RJ Reynolds faces third EU suit" (November 1, 2002). ''Telegraph''.</ref><ref>"[http://www.jonesday.com/experiencepractices/ExperienceDetail.aspx?experienceid=14749 R.J. Reynolds wins dismissal of European Community's RICO claims]" (March 2011). [[Jones Day]].</ref><ref>Henry Weinstein and Myron Levin, "[http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2002-10-31/news/0210310081_1_money-laundering-tobacco-companies-lawsuit R.J. Reynolds Accused Of Black Market Deals] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723114306/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2002-10-31/news/0210310081_1_money-laundering-tobacco-companies-lawsuit |date=2013-07-23 }}" (October 31, 2002). ''Los Angeles Times''.</ref><ref>Tracey A. Basler, "Cigarettes, Smuggling, and Terror: The European Community v. RJ Reynolds" (2004). 4 ''JICL'' 3.</ref>

On July 30, 2004, R. J. Reynolds merged with the U.S. operations of [[British American Tobacco]] (operating under the name of [[Brown & Williamson]]). A new parent [[holding company]], [[Reynolds American]] Inc., was established as part of the transaction.

[[File:RJR Tobacco.JPG|thumb|170px|Former R. J. Reynolds Tobacco factory in Downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina, pictured in 2014. The factory was closed in 2010 and production moved to Tobaccoville, North Carolina.]]
In May 2006 former R. J. Reynolds vice-president of sales Stan Smith pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding the [[Government of Canada]] of $1.2 billion (CDN) through a cigarette [[smuggling]] operation. Smith confessed to overseeing the 1990s operation while employed by RJR. Canadian-brand cigarettes were smuggled out of and back into Canada, or smuggled from [[Puerto Rico]], and sold on the black market to avoid taxes. The judge referred to it as biggest [[fraud]] case in Canadian history.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/senior-tobacco-exec-won-t-go-to-jail-in-massive-fraud-case-1.610190 "Senior exec won't go to jail in massive fraud case"], ''[[CBC News]]'', May 4, 2006</ref>

Since 2006, R. J. Reynolds has been the subject of a [[Farm Labor Organizing Committee]] (FLOC) campaign to reduce the exploitative nature of its tobacco procurement system. FLOC's goal is to meet with Reynolds executives, growers, and workers in [[collective bargaining]] to improve farmworkers' pay and living conditions. Although there are many layers of [[subcontractor]]s within the procurement system that seemingly absolve Reynolds of responsibility, FLOC asserts that its executives have the ability to make changes within the system due to their wealth and enormous power. Despite repeated refusals to meet from CEO Susan Ivey, FLOC continues the campaign against R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.<ref>Collins, Kristin. "Farm union targets RJR." ''News & Observer.'' October 27, 2007.</ref>

In 2010, Reynolds American announced that the company would close its manufacturing plants in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico. Production from these plants will be moved to the [[Tobaccoville, North Carolina]], plant.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Craver |first1=Richard |title=RJR closing plant |url=https://www.journalnow.com/business/rjr-closing-plant/article_e855bd18-e8ba-562a-8aed-7433ff5934f5.html |access-date=12 September 2018 |work=Winston-Salem Journal |date=May 29, 2010}}</ref>

On July 15, 2014, Reynolds American agreed to buy [[Lorillard Tobacco Company]] for $27.4 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/07/15/reynolds-american-to-buy-lorillard-for-27-4-billion/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0|title=To Compete With Altria, Reynolds American Is Buying Lorillard|first=Michael J. de la Merced and Chad|last=Bray|date=15 July 2014 |access-date=23 October 2016}}</ref> The deal also included the sale of the [[Kool (cigarette)|Kool]], [[Winston (cigarette)|Winston]], [[Salem (cigarette)|Salem]], and [[blu eCigs|blu]] brands to [[Imperial Brands|Imperial Tobacco]] for $7.1 billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2014/07/15/feeling-blu-e-cig-company-spun-off-in-major-tobacco-deal.html|title=Feeling blu? E-cig company spun off in major tobacco deal|first= Dan|last=Mangan|work=[[CNBC]]|date=July 15, 2014}}</ref>

In January 2017, Reynolds American agreed to a $49.4 billion deal to be taken over by [[British American Tobacco]].<ref name="wsj">{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/british-american-tobacco-agrees-to-pay-49-billion-to-take-full-control-of-reynolds-american-1484638031|title=British American Tobacco Agrees to Pay $49 Billion to Take Full Control of Reynolds American |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=January 17, 2017|access-date=January 17, 2017}}</ref> The deal was completed July 25, 2017.<ref name=entirely>{{cite news|url=http://www.journalnow.com/business/business_news/local/reynolds-american-now-entirely-owned-by-british-american-tobacco/article_b6769364-9c0e-504a-b322-8adedc81cdb1.html|title=Reynolds American now entirely owned by British American Tobacco |last=Craver|first=Richard|work=Winston-Salem Journal|date=July 25, 2017|access-date=July 25, 2017}}</ref>