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Connecticut Ranks 45th in Protecting Kids from Tobacco

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2010 – WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Connecticut ranks 45th in the nation in funding programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit, according to a national report released today by a coalition of public health organizations.

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Connecticut currently spends $400,000 a year on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which is 0.9 percent of the $43.9 million recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Other key findings for Connecticut include:

In the past year, Connecticut has virtually eliminated funding for tobacco prevention, cutting funding from $6.1 million to $400,000.Connecticut this year will collect $529 million from the 1998 tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend just 0.1 percent of it on tobacco prevention programs.The tobacco companies spend $123 million a year to market their products in Connecticut. This is 307 times what the state spends on tobacco prevention.The annual report on states' funding of tobacco prevention programs, titled "A Broken Promise to Our Children: The 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 12 Years Later," was released by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Connecticut for years was one of the worst states in the nation in funding tobacco prevention, providing little or no state funding. But Connecticut improved significantly in fiscal year 2009 when it provided $7.4 million. Now Connecticut has slashed funding and is again one of the worst states.

"Connecticut has completely reversed the promising progress of the past two years and reverted to being one of the most disappointing states in funding programs to protect kids from tobacco," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. љ"To reduce tobacco's devastating toll, it is critical that Connecticut's leaders increase funding for tobacco prevention. љEven in these difficult budget times, tobacco prevention is a smart investment that saves lives and saves money by reducing health care costs."

In Connecticut, 15.3 percent of high school students smoke, and 4,700 more kids become regular smokers every year. Each year, tobacco claims 4,700 lives and costs the state $1.6 billion in health care bills.

Nationally, the report finds that most states are failing to adequately fund programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit. Altogether, the states have cut funding for these programs to the lowest level since 1999, when they first started receiving tobacco settlement payments. ^AљKey national findings of the report include:

The states this year will collect $25.3 billion from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend just two percent of it - $517.9 million - on tobacco prevention programs. љStates have cut funding for tobacco prevention programs by nine percent ($51.4 million) in the past year and by 28 percent ($199.3 million) in the past three years.Only two states - Alaska and North Dakota - currently fund tobacco prevention programs at the CDC-recommended level.The report warns that the nation's progress in reducing smoking is at risk unless states increase funding for programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit. љThe United States has significantly reduced smoking among both youth and adults, but 20.6 percent of adults and 19.5 percent of high school students still smoke.

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., killing more than 400,000 people and costing $96 billion in health care bills each year. љ

More information, including the full report and state-specific information, can be obtained at .

SOURCECampaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

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