National Report shows NJ falls short in investing tobacco revenues in tobacco control and prevention efforts
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Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, American Cancer Society, American Lung Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation issued their national report, “A Broken Promise to our Children: The 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 11 years Later.” The report assessed whether each state kept their promise to use funds from the state tobacco settlements for tobacco control and prevention.
According to this national report, New Jersey ranks 38th in the nation in funding tobacco programs. New Jersey’s spending on tobacco prevention amounts to only 0.9% of the estimated $968 million in tobacco-generated revenue the state collects each year from settlement payments and tobacco taxes.
Over the last five years, the New Jersey tobacco program funding has decreased from $30 million (Master Settlement funding) to its current $7.5 million (Excise Tax funding). While New Jersey has implemented some key measures to reduce tobacco use, New Jersey is far behind the $119 milllion level of funding recommended by Centers for Disease Control.
It is crucial for New Jersey to continue making progress by implementing key measures/funding tobacco prevention programs to prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit, and therefore reduce tobacco use in New Jersey. Tobacco prevention is a smart investment that not only reduces smoking but also saves thousands of dollars by reducing tobacco-related health care costs.
Click here to read the NJ report. Click here to read the Millenium Radio newsclip.