House Democratic Budget Preserves Statewide Tobacco Prevention Effort
02/24/00
The budget keeps $100 million of
tobacco settlement funds in the
Tobacco Prevention and Control Account, and allows the department to use $20 million from the account next year.
``This budget upholds citizens' desire to use the
tobacco settlement funds to prevent more people -- including children-- from becoming addicted to tobacco,'' said Secretary of Health Mary Selecky. ``It supports a statewide program, although we will need to make some reductions in the original proposal.''
In 1999, the Legislature established the
Tobacco Prevention and Control Account, earmarking $100 million for the prevention and reduction of
tobacco use in Washington. Earlier this year, the health department recommended a statewide prevention program that would cost $26 million next year.
The
tobacco industry spends more than $100 million a year to market
cigarettes and other
tobacco products in Washington.
EU Cigarettes
