Tobacco Prevention Funding Resolution

WHEREAS, the use of tobacco products is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in North Carolina[i] and nearly 11,100 NC children will become regular daily smokers this year[ii]; and,

WHEREAS, the primary purpose of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) was to provide states with funding to remedy the public health problems and increased health costs posed by tobacco use; and,

WHEREAS, in a 1999 law the North Carolina General Assembly dedicated 25% of the state’s annual MSA payments to health programs, including tobacco use prevention programs; and,

WHEREAS, in 2011 $138 million in MSA funds came to the state, thus 25% of MSA funds would amount to approximately $34.5 million for tobacco use prevention and cessations programs in NC; and,

WHEREAS, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that North Carolina spend $106.8 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco use prevention program[iii]; the tobacco industry spends $396 million annually to market its products in our state[iv]; and,

WHEREAS, smoking costs North Carolina taxpayers $2.46 billion in direct healthcare costs ($769 million in Medicaid expenses alone), and $3.5 billion in lost productivity annually[v]; and,

WHEREAS, since North Carolina initiated its youth tobacco prevention programs in 2003, the middle school smoking rate in has been cut by more than half (from 9.3% to 4.3%), and the high school smoking rate has dropped by a third (from 27.3% to 16.7%). This reduction accounts for 53,000 fewer smokers since 2003[vi]; and,

WHEREAS, comprehensive statewide tobacco use prevention and cessation programs promote reductions in smoking levels among both adults and kids[vii], thereby producing substantial state health care cost savings and reductions in other smoking-caused expenditures[viii]; and,

WHEREAS, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids estimates that if current tobacco prevention funding (now at $17.3 million) is eliminated in North Carolina, the youth smoking rate will increase by 2.8%, 17,500 more North Carolina kids will grow up to become addicted adult smokers and future healthcare expenditures in the state will increase by $306.2 million[ix];

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the undersigned supports the dedication of 25% of NC’s annual  MSA payment to fund evidence-based tobacco use prevention and cessation programs in North Carolina.