Today, Attorney General Steve Rowe announced the filing of a stipulated judgment with Pfizer Inc. resolving a five-year investigation by 33 states attorneys general concerning the company?s deceptive promotion of the ?Cox-2? drugs Celebrex? and Bextra?. The State of Maine will receive approximately $630,000 from the $60 million payment made by Pfizer to the participating states. The agreement, filed in Kennebec County Superior Court, will also curb Pfizer?s ability to deceptively promote all of its products.

Attorney General Steve Rowe announced that the Superior Court has imposed a two year sentence on April Archer, for her theft of welfare benefits by deception. Archer, 41 years old, of East Waterboro, Maine, was sentenced on Friday, October 10, 2008, in Superior Court in Alfred to two years incarceration with all but 90 days suspended, one year probation, and payment of restitution.

Attorney General Steve Rowe today announced that he has joined the attorneys general of 46 other jurisdictions (45 states and the District of Columbia) in an agreement with Shell Oil Products US and its joint venture Motiva Enterprises LLC. to adopt procedures to reduce cigarette sales to minors. Shell and Motiva supply gasoline through approximately 14,000 gas stations in the U.S., more than 13,000 of which are in states joining this agreement. Many of these gas stations include independently operated convenience stores that sell items including tobacco products.

Today Attorney General Steve Rowe, along with 32 other state attorneys general, reached a record $62 million dollar settlement with Eli Lilly and Company arising from alleged improper marketing of the antipsychotic drug Zyprexa. It is the largest ever multi-state consumer protection-based pharmaceutical settlement, following closely on the heels of the May 2008, $58 million agreement with Merck regarding its product Vioxx. Maine?s share of today?s settlement will be $1,020,609.

Maine Attorney General Steve Rowe and the Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine announced Cumberland Farms stores in Maine are joining the NO BUTS responsible tobacco retailer program. The program provides retailers with the materials they need to properly train employees to prevent underage tobacco sales, while stressing the underlying compelling health reasons for restricting sales of tobacco to teens. Participating stores can qualify for compliance credits to recognize their efforts to prevent the sale of tobacco to minors.

Attorney General Steve Rowe, joined by 24 other state attorneys general, today called on MillerCoors, LLC to abandon its plan to introduce a new alcoholic energy drink called Sparks Red that contains 8 percent alcohol by volume.

In a letter to MillerCoors CEO Leo Kiely, Rowe said MillerCoors? decision to introduce Sparks Red defies compelling and undeniable evidence from medical and public health professionals about the dangers of mixing alcohol with stimulants found in energy drinks.

The September 22, 2008 deadline for victims of JK Harris is fast approaching. JK Harris is a South Carolina company that claimed to be able to help tax payers settle their IRS debt for ?pennies on the dollar? but did not deliver on this promise.

WHAT: Press Conference urging political leaders and the media to focus on the issues important to Maine?s children

WHO: Attorney General Steve Rowe, Laurie LaChance of the Maine Development Foundation, Dr. Chris Stenberg of the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, youth speaker Amy Princiotta together with attendant candidates and children

WHEN: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 10:00 AM

WHERE: Front Steps of the Maine State Capitol Building

Consumers across southern and central Maine are reporting that they are receiving phone messages, purportedly from Visa, that indicate the consumer has reached the limit on their credit card and they must call an eight hundred (800) number to avoid paying an overcharge penalty.

Attorney General Steve Rowe announced that the Maine Superior Court has ordered five defendants (David Townsend, Nicholas James, Adam Casey, Sean McArthur and a juvenile) to stay away from five Native American residents of Indian Township, and to refrain from future violations of the Maine Civil Rights Act.