Vermont Ranks 11th in Protecting Kids from Tobacco

Montpelier. VT (November 30, 2011)—

Vermont ranks 11th 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.

Vermont currently spends $3.3 million a year on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which is 32 percent of the $10.4 million recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Other key findings for Vermont include:

• Vermont this year will collect $108 million in revenue from the 1998 tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend just 3.1 percent of it on tobacco prevention programs. This means Vermont is spending just 3 cents of every dollar in tobacco revenue to fight tobacco use.
• Since 2009, Vermont has cut funding for tobacco prevention by 37 percent, from $5.2 million to $3.3 million.
• The tobacco companies spend $19 million a year to market their products in Vermont. This is 5 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 13 Years Later,” was released by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights.

Vermont has been a leader in the fight against tobacco with a high cigarette tax ($2.62 per pack) and a strong smoke-free workplace law. However, the large cut in tobacco prevention funding has put the state’s progress at risk.

“Vermont has been a real leader in fighting tobacco use, but has taken a big step backward by cutting funding for its tobacco prevention program,” said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.  “To continue making progress, Vermont should restore funding for tobacco prevention.  Even in these difficult budget times, tobacco prevention is a smart investment that saves lives and saves money by reducing tobacco-related health care costs.”

In Vermont, 13 percent of high school students smoke, and 700 more kids become regular smokers each year. Tobacco annually claims 800 lives and costs the state $233 million in health care bills.

More information, including the full report and state-specific information, can be obtained at www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/settlements.

The American Lung Association of New England is part of the American Lung Association, the oldest voluntary health organization in the U.S. Established in 1904 to combat tuberculosis, our mission today is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. The focus is on air quality, asthma, tobacco control, and all lung disease. ALANE serves CT, MA, ME, NH, RI and VT.

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