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Funds don't go to Public Anti-Smoking Activities

Published on September 23, 2008 7:42 AM

Tobacco Companies gave to many countries money help for to stop smoking in their country, but many of these countries have used the money for other reasons.

For example of the $505 million that Kansas has received through a legal settlement with tobacco companies, just 1 percent has been spent on programs to help people stop smoking or not pick up the habit.

Just $7 million of the money given to Kansas has gone to anti-smoking activities.

Mary Jayne Hellebust, director of the Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition, said: "We tax people on cigarettes, we get money from smokers. Then we’re getting these funds from the settlement, but what are we providing to help them quit?"

Most of the money in Kansas has instead been earmarked for childhood programs, such as Early Head Start and pre-kindergarten.

In fact, most states have used tobacco settlement money into programs other than smoking cessation.

But anti-smoking advocates say the settlement was meant to help states recoup or avoid some of the expense taxpayers have made through Medicaid to treat tobacco-related illnesses.

Melissa Ness, president of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, advises the governor and Legislature on where to spend the money but agrees anti-smoking programs were the settlement’s intended target.

Melissa said that these states just didn’t want to choose that direction where there is no smoking or smoke. They don’t want to choose a pure and healthy life.