“Thumbs down on Ohio for spending no state money on tobacco prevention and cessation programs despite smoking costing the state close to $9.2 billion in economic costs each year” and 18,590 deaths, the report said.
Ohio got one good grade: an “A” for its workplace smoking ban, passed by voters in November 2006 despite heavy campaign spending by opponents.
The ALA said, “The tobacco industry continues to spend billions to keep people addicted to its deadly products, while public health is shortchanged. “(F)ederal and state governments are largely failing to combat tobacco industry tactics, while diverting or misusing life-saving tobacco control funds.”
Data show that the percentage of Ohioans who smoke has increased since 2009, when then-Gov. Ted Strickland and state lawmakers drastically cut anti-smoking spending and shifted money from the tobacco settlement and tobacco tax revenues to other budget priorities. The smoking rate increased to 25.2 percent as of 2011, from 20.2 percent in 2008.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids last month ranked Ohio 50th among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs, with an estimated $1.1 billion in tobacco-related revenue and expenditures of zero.
“The state continues to make money on the cigarette tax and does absolutely nothing to help people stop,” said Bruce Barcelo, who heads tobacco prevention and cessation efforts for Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County.
Tessie Pollock, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Health, said state officials plan to push “evidence-based programs” like the state’s Tobacco Quit Line (1-800-QUITNOW), and efforts like encouraging smoke-free college campuses and apartment complexes.
“There’s not always a strong correlation between spending and the smoking rate,” she said. “It’s what you do with the money (you have).”
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