The state of Connecticut receives $535 million in tobacco-generated revenue a year from the tobacco settlement and taxes. Guess what percentage it spent on tobacco prevention and education… only 1.1 percent!
Connecticut is spending minimal amounts on tobacco prevention despite the fact that the state is receiving more tobacco-generated revenue than ever before. Volunteers with the American Heart Association’s You’re the Cure Action Network are asking that our elected officials support increasing funding to proven tobacco prevention and education initiatives. These initiatives will save lives, and save the State of Connecticut money in the long-run - healthier citizens cost less.
There are more than 474,900 Connecticut residents who still smoke – that’s 17 percent of the population. Nearly 16 percent of high school students smoke. The annual health care burden in Connecticut directly caused by smoking equals $1.63 billion. The portion covered by the state Medicaid program is $430 million.
We simply cannot afford to abandon tobacco education, prevention and cessation programs. To help save these lives, the American Heart Association is working for sustainable funding for state tobacco prevention and cessation programs to levels that meet or exceed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. We hope community members join us at www.YoureTheCure.org to sign up to have their voices heard on this issue.
Dawn Caruso
Hamden