This web site and press releases posted on it contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company has tried, whenever possible, to identify these forward-looking statements using words such as ``anticipates'', ``believes'', ``estimates'', ``expects'', ``plans'', ``intends'' and similar expressions. These statements reflect the Company's current beliefs and are based upon information currently available to it. Accordingly, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such statements. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include, without limitation, the continued development and commercialization of the Company's proprietary patented process for reducing and/or virtually eliminating TSNAs in the processing of tobacco leaf, potential disputes concerning the Company's intellectual property, potential delays in obtaining any necessary government approvals, market acceptance of the Company's products, competition from companies with greater resources than Star, the Company's decision not to join the MSA, the adoption of required state statutes and any subsequent modification of the MSA. The impact of potential litigation, if initiated against or by individual states that have adopted the MSA, could be materially adverse to the Company. See additional discussion under ``Factors That May Affect Future Results'' in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999, and other factors detailed from time to time in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or advise upon any such forward-looking statements.