California Ranked 23rd in Anti-Tobacco Programs, Lung Association Says
California received an F grade for the way it spends funds from a 1998 settlement between states and tobacco companies, according to a report by the American Lung Association that was released last week, the Napa Valley Register reports.
ALA ranked California 23rd in the nation, saying it spends about $100 million on smoking cessation programs when it should spend as much as $442 million.
However, the state would rank No. 1 in the nation for funding antismoking programs if voters approve the 2006 Tobacco Tax Initiative, the ALA said. The measure would increase the state's tobacco tax by $2.60 per pack of cigarettes to fund emergency departments, children's health insurance, nursing programs and tobacco-related disease prevention and treatment, among other anti-tobacco efforts.
California's share of the $205 billion settlement is expected to reach $25 billion by 2025 (Stanley, Napa Valley Register, 1/14).