MPAAT WILL SERVE MINNESOTA FOR 25 YEARS THROUGH THE ISSUANCE OF GRANTS AND BY CONDUCTING OTHER APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS FOR HEALTH, COMMUNITY, AND ACADEMIC ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE IN SUPPORT OF RESEARCH AND CESSATION ACTIVITIES THAT WILL ENCOURAGE AND HELP TOBACCO USERS QUIT. Maine has their twin sister: Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine. Sure! IN SUPPORT is not a bad thing, but these coalitions are bending over backwards to have smoking BANNED in businesses to include restaurants AND bars. This was not the idea behind these programs, but the money and the power went to their heads. They became Judge and Dictators overnight.
For instance: PTFM spent $14,500 at a RACE track for ONE day at Speedway 95! They are spending thousands sponsoring "5" race cars AND several race tracks throughout Maine! This is NOT how that tobacco settlement money was to have been spent.
To advertise that they are there IF any smoker needs their help. But NOT by sponsoring race tracks, teen trips, T SHIRTS and all those frills. And by NOT dictating to private businesses how they have to run them! They have gone way over the top in their power hungry control.
Today, the people are getting wise to them and now they are afraid of losing their huge honey pot of funding. They are going full speed ahead now , trying to justify their spending spree. It's too late. To many people now know what a waste of funding it is. This money needs to go for precription drug care for seniors and for the poor uninsured people.
The PTFM put out a report on the local news yesterday that $73 BILLION is being spent in health care! I fired off several letters. $73 BILLION WHERE? Surely not just in the state of MAINE! They are in left field. They said that since they started up, teen smoking has decreased. I said "Well, the CDC just brought out a report that teen smoking in Maine has remained unchanged. Who is lying to who here?
Adolescent and School Health
These coalitions blame Big Tobacco for advertising in magazines to teenagers. Did it ever occur to anyone that it takes TWO? The EDITOR is the one that inserts the ads. NOT Big Tobacco. And I have yet to see a magazine for teens put forth by Big T. Have you?
The Tobacco Settlement money created monsters in each state that are nothing more then overblown gluttons. Throwing "OUR" money around like they lost a rich dead uncle. Well, my uncles are dead!
Serve 25 YEARS??
Yes, ONLY if that money remains from the smokers who pay the taxes on cigarettes. ONE reason the FBI is trying to crack down on the Internet sales! So these stupid coalitions can continue receiving their big Honey POTS of FUNDING!
