"It's a great first step," said Jeff Nesbit, a consultant who has worked with anti-tobacco groups.

The news was hailed by President Clinton and by anti-tobacco groups as the first time a major billboard company had instituted such a ban.

And he dismissed the attempt to mimic the success of anti-tobacco groups.

Maryland is the only other state in which anti-tobacco groups have achieved similarly sweeping rules through regulation.

Target's move was hailed by anti-tobacco groups.

The foundation and the organizations that conducted the survey said they had no connection to tobacco companies or anti-tobacco groups.

But anti-tobacco groups said the case posed a grave threat to the industry.

Some of his recent rulings favored tobacco companies, and anti-tobacco groups had braced themselves for a ruling against the drug agency.

The verdict kept anti-tobacco groups from a second courtroom victory over cigarette makers this month.

But other anti-tobacco groups like the American Lung Association opposed them, fearing that the industry would gain more from a deal than consumers.