Hypocrisy unmasked

Despite receiving more than $27 billion in the current budget year from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, the US states continue to severely underfund tobacco prevention and cessation programs proven to save lives and money, according to a statement issued by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids on Friday.
‘Since the states settled their lawsuits against the major tobacco companies in 1998, our annual reports have assessed whether the states are keeping their promise to use a significant portion of their settlement funds – estimated at $246 billion over the first 25 years – to attack the enormous public health problems caused by tobacco use in the United States,’ the statement said.
‘Despite receiving huge sums from the settlement and collecting billions more in tobacco taxes, the states continue to short-change tobacco prevention and cessation programs that are proven to save lives and reduce health care costs.
‘In the current budget year, Fiscal Year 2019, the states will collect $27.3 billion from the settlement and taxes. But they will spend just 2.4 percent of it – $655 million – on programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit.
‘Meanwhile, tobacco companies spend $9.5 billion a year – $1 million every hour – to market their deadly and addictive products. This means tobacco companies spend $14 to market their products for every $1 the states spend to reduce tobacco use.
‘Our report challenges states to do more to fight tobacco use – still the nation’s No. 1 cause of preventable death and disease – to accelerate progress, address large disparities in who still smokes, and confront the growing epidemic of youth e-cigarette use in America.
‘This report is issued by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Americans for Non-smokers’ Rights and Truth Initiative.’