Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding

This grade tells you if your state lawmakers are investing enough money in programs that prevent and reduce tobacco use. States receive money from tobacco settlement payments and tobacco taxes that should be spent for this purpose, but too often states spend that money on other things.

State tobacco prevention and cessation programs help stop children from starting to use tobacco products and help tobacco users quit. These programs run ads to counter tobacco industry messages designed to get kids to start smoking. They also fund community programs that help stop the use of tobacco products. But enough funding must be provided for these programs to succeed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends an amount each state should spend. State legislators need to fund these programs at or above that level.