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Raiding the tobacco till ($7 BILLION transferred, under $1 billion used)
Metrowest Daily News ^ | 12/03/04

Posted on 12/04/2004 7:56:16 PM PST by Libloather

Editorial: Raiding the tobacco till
Friday, December 3, 2004

Three years ago, when the cash was flowing freely on Beacon Hill, Massachusetts led the nation in spending on anti-smoking programs. Voters had agreed to raise cigarette taxes to fund anti-smoking initiatives, and the state's share of the huge federal tobacco settlement brought in even more cash intended to mitigate the health effects of smoking.

That investment was paying off. National polls consistently found Massachusetts teen-agers trailing teens from around the country in smoking rates.

That was then. After years of budget shortfalls, Massachusetts has fallen to 40th place in tobacco-control spending, according to a report by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

The numbers are stark. The tobacco settlement and cigarette taxes brought more than $666 million to the state. Three years ago, the Legislature was spending some $48 million a year on tobacco control. Anti-smoking TV commercials were on every channel; tobacco control officers visited every school and policed every convenience store. The program now has been more than decimated: Just $3.8 million is being spent on anti-smoking activities this year.

We've never felt every penny of the cigarette tax money should be spent preaching at smokers. Nor are the billions extorted from major tobacco companies sacrosanct. Using some of this cash for other needs, especially public health programs, is reasonable.

But preventing children from picking up the cigarette habit is a worthy public goal, and $3.8 million isn't nearly enough to adequately do the job. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that Massachusetts spend between $35.2 million and $92.8 million to fund an effective tobacco prevention program. The Legislature should at least aim for the low end of that range.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 1; 7; billion; extortion; lawsuittobacco; pufflist; raiding; till; transferred; under; used
On Rush's Friday show, Roger Hedgecock of KOGO Radio mentioned that over $7 BILLION has already been transferred and only $750 million went to what it was supposed to. Here are other headlines from Yahoo news -

South Dakota - States not spending enough on smoking prevention

Wyoming - State 12th in tobacco prevention

South Carolina - State ranked last in funds for anti-smoking efforts

Washington - Spending urged for anti-smoking programs

States don't meet CDC-set spending levels for anti-smoking programs

Study: State Not Providing Enough Funds For Anti-Smoking Programs

Arkansas ranks near top in use of tobacco settlement funds

Report criticizes tobacco spending

Groups laud Miss. for its efforts to nix smoking

Tennessee lacks anti-smoking funds, group says

Missouri falters in anti-tobacco effort

Study says Mass., most other states lag on antismoking efforts

1 posted on 12/04/2004 7:56:17 PM PST by Libloather
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To: Libloather

Why? with everything else the reasoning is that
"the kids are going to do it anyway."


2 posted on 12/04/2004 7:59:40 PM PST by LauraleeBraswell (See and decide for yourself)
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To: Libloather

How many filthy lying Weasels can you meet in one day? Come to Boston, stay for moments.. your job is complete!


3 posted on 12/04/2004 7:59:50 PM PST by acapesket (never had a vote count in all my years here)
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To: acapesket

If I had the power, I would stop all advertising by the government. I hate it.


4 posted on 12/04/2004 8:06:26 PM PST by ClaireSolt (.)
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To: Libloather
$666 million

Not surprised to see this number associated with the sordid tobacco tax. Spawned by the devil himself, no doubt.

5 posted on 12/04/2004 8:08:20 PM PST by Major Matt Mason (Once again chilling the champagne for the FR Inaugural Ball II.)
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To: LauraleeBraswell

Planned Smokerhood? I can just see fourth graders being given Zig Zag cigarette papers and tobacco, along with their condoms and sterile one-user syringes....


6 posted on 12/04/2004 8:11:30 PM PST by The Spirit Of Allegiance (...UGH! Cockroaches! HUGE Cockroaches! Gotta Tent and fumigate the UN Building! Everybody Out)
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