Money meant for smoking prevention not fully being used in Idaho
Smoking was a constant source of debate long before 1998, but that was the pivotal year when tobacco companies were forced to begin giving money to each state in the U.S. every year since.
That money goes into a millennium fund and is set to be used to stop kids under 18 from using tobacco. So how is Idaho doing on that front?
A recent study by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids ranks Idaho at 25th in the nation for spending on tobacco use prevention, but John Schachter, communications director for the organization, said that doesn’t mean things are going well.
In fact, Schachter said states receive a combined $25 billion from the 1998 settlement, but spend $490 million of that. In other words, for every dollar received, 2 cents are spent on tobacco prevention.
“It’s not mandated that the states spend any particular amount of money on tobacco prevention programs,” Schachter said in a phone interview. “The hope and expectation is that they will and they would, but that has not always been the case.”
So the important question is where does that money go? For the fiscal year 2015, Idaho has received $72.3 million from that settlement money in 1998 and tobacco taxes, but only spent $2.7 million of that.
According to Project Filter, the Idaho organization meant to prevent smoking, that $72.3 million goes into the Idaho Millennium Fund each year.
From there, 80 percent goes into a protected account, where it’s invested, 20 percent goes into another account, where the Idaho Legislature decides what to do with it. A portion of the interest accrued goes toward funding for grants. For a full account of how the millennium fund sits now, go to this page on the Idaho State Treasurer’s website.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a certain amount be put toward keeping kids away from the habit, and that amount is about $15 million. That amount pales compared to the $43 million the tobacco industry spent in Idaho to advertise their products per year.
But the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said there are other ways to discourage smoking that could mean good things for Idaho in other ways as well.
“We’re telling people to urge their state leaders to raise the tobacco tax,” Schachter said. “The more a pack of cigarettes costs, the harder it is for them (kids) to buy it. It’s a direct result where it raises money for the state and helps save health care costs.”
Idaho’s cigarette tax is 57 cents per pack, whereas the national average is almost a dollar more per pack. Schachter said Idaho could save $458 million in health care costs by reducing the amount of youth smoking.
Only two states spent the CDC-recommended amount on tobacco prevention in FY 2015 – North Dakota and Alaska.
