Overview
The goal of comprehensive tobacco control programs is to reduce disease, disability, and death related to tobacco use by:

• Preventing the initiation of tobacco use among young people.
• Promoting quitting among young people and adults.
• Eliminating nonsmokers’ exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).
• Identifying and eliminating the disparities related to tobacco use and its effects among different population groups.
• CDC recommends that States establish tobacco control programs that are comprehensive, sustainable, and accountable.

Sustaining State Funding for Tobacco Control
Tobacco control programs play a crucial role in the prevention of many chronic conditions, such as cancer, heart disease and respiratory illness. Evidence continues to mount supporting the critical role that comprehensive state and local tobacco control programs play in keeping young people from starting to smoke, increasing the number of people who successfully quit, and decreasing nonsmokers’ exposure to secondhand smoke. Although we know how to address these problems, funding for tobacco control programs continues to be sorely inadequate.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that the state of Wisconsin spend between $31.2 million and $82.4 million a year to have an effective, comprehensive tobacco prevention program. Wisconsin currently allocates $10.0 million a year for tobacco prevention.

Fund a Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program
In Governor Doyle’s budget address he said, “this is not a budget for Big Tobacco.” Governor Doyle says he will not allow the mistakes of the past to be repeated. Because of different finance rates, the Governor proposed to go back to the 25-year plan that was to be enacted with the master settlement agreement. With the new rates, the refinancing of the bonds should free up $650 million. Governor Doyle plans on directing the $30 million of yearly interest to fund a comprehensive tobacco program.

Resources
Find the information on the current funding status along with fact sheets explaining how and why Wisconsin should sustain the state’s tobacco control program.

In the News
Check out the latest news headlines on funding a comprehensive tobacco control program.

Blog

Read our opinions and share yours on the official SmokeFree Wisconsin blog.

Legislation
Find out what bills have been introduced, who sponsors the bill and its current status.

Take Action
Feel the need to keep kids from starting to smoke? Here you will find opportunities to take action.