Section 10-50B-5 - Tobacco product manufacturer definedFor the purposes of §§ 10-50B-1 to 10-50B-10, inclusive, the term, tobacco product manufacturer, means an entity that, on or after July 1, 1999, directly, and not exclusively through any affiliate:
(1) Manufactures cigarettes anywhere which the manufacturer intends to be sold in the United States, including cigarettes intended to be sold in the United States through an importer. However, any entity that manufacturers cigarettes that it intends to be sold in the United States is not a tobacco product manufacturer under this subdivision if the cigarettes are sold in the United States exclusively through an importer that is an original participating manufacturer, as that term is defined in the Master Settlement Agreement, that will be responsible for the payments under the Master Settlement Agreement with respect to such cigarettes as a result of the provisions of subsections II(mm) of the Master Settlement Agreement and that pays the taxes specified in subsection II(z) of the Master Settlement Agreement, and if the manufacturer of such cigarettes does not market or advertise such cigarettes in the United States;(2) Is the first purchaser anywhere for resale in the United States of cigarettes manufactured anywhere that the manufacturer does not intend to be sold in the United States; or(3) Becomes a successor of an entity described in subdivision (1) or (2).The term does not include an affiliate of a tobacco product manufacturer unless such affiliate itself falls within subdivision (1), (2), or (3).