SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced that up to $14.9 million is available to fund programs that educate the public about drug marketing techniques. The grant money is part of a multi-state settlement with the makers of Neurontin, a prescription epilepsy drug.

OLYMPIA – After several weeks of intensive review, Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced his draft model rules for public disclosure are now available for public comment.

SEATTLE -- Billing complaints for on-line advertising that was never ordered have flooded the Seattle Consumer Resource Center (CRC) of the Washington Attorney General’s office in the last two weeks.

Attorney General Rob McKenna is cautioning consumers about receiving bills for on-line advertising that they may not have affirmatively ordered. Complainants said they received a bill for $399 from a business they had never heard of, for a service they had never purchased. As of Feb 14th, the CRC had received nearly 50 complaints.

SEATTLE -- Millions of dollars are still available to consumers who used the cancer drug Taxol or its generic equivalent, paclitaxel from January 1, 1999 through February 28, 2003.

While $12.5 million was awarded nationally to consumers who paid too much for the drug, only a handful have filed claims to get their money. In Washington, the state Attorney General's Office reports 125 people have filed claims since March, 2003. There are an estimated 3,000 consumers here eligible to receive money.

SEATTLE -- The Washington Attorney General's office has settled with the operators of Alyon Technologies, a New Jersey-based Internet billing service which allegedly charged consumers for adult web material they never intended to purchase. Parties to the settlement also include the company's president, Stephane Touboul, and its Georgia affiliate, Telcollect.

SEATTLE – Thousands of consumers from Washington and 49 other states who used the antidepressant drug Remeron may be entitled to reimbursements from drug maker Organon USA Inc. and its parent company Akzo Nobel N.V., Attorney General Rob McKenna announced today.

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna today called the Legislature’s support of his requests to strengthen the Public Disclosure Act, curb methamphetamine production and improve consumer protection “three big wins for the citizens of Washington.”

The Public Disclosure Act bill passed into law last week was McKenna’s first proposal to the Legislature. The new law makes it easier for citizens to obtain public records by requiring state and local agencies to improve access to records, and increasing penalties for agencies that do not comply with the law.

Multi-State Agreement With Major Retailers Covers 209 Washington Stores

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced an agreement with 7-Eleven, Inc. under which the nation’s largest seller of tobacco products will implement new procedures to reduce such sales to minors at its 209 Washington stores as well as at 4,707 outlets in 33 other states and Washington D.C.

SEATTLE – While citizens are encouraged to consider giving generously to tsunami-relief efforts, the Attorney General’s Office today advised doing some research to make sure the relief money is going to organizations that will use the donations effectively.

The best advice is to give to well-established organizations with proven track records of assisting in foreign countries following major disasters.

SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna and Labor &Industries Acting Director Judy Schurke warned consumers today to be on the lookout for The Washington Labor Law Poster Service that is sending out direct mail notices threatening businesses with $7,000 fines and state investigations for not having labor law posters displayed on the premises.