This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
ISHN logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
ISHN logo
  • Home
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Digital Editions
    • Archives
    • Buyer's Guide
    • Subscribe
  • Topics
    • Environment
    • Environmental Health and Safety
    • Government Regulations
    • Health
    • Industrial Hygiene
    • Occupational Safety
    • PPE
    • Product Case Studies
    • Psychology
    • Safety Culture
    • Training
    • Transportation Safety
    • More Topics
  • Construction
  • Oil & Gas
  • Columns
    • Editorial Comments
    • Best Practices
    • Positive Cultures
    • Training Strategies
    • Closing Time
    • FR Protection
    • Thought Leadership
  • Products
  • Conventions
    • Convention Companion
  • Multimedia
    • eBooks
    • Infographics
    • Photo Galleries
    • ISHN Podcasts
    • Your Digital Mentor Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • ISHN YouTube Videos
  • More
    • Awards
      • 2020 Readers' Choice Awards- Submit Products
    • eNewsletters
    • Events
    • ISHN Store
    • Product Case Studies
    • Product Innovations
    • Showrooms
    • Vendor News
  • Advertise
    • Contact
Home » 2 decades after settlement, tobacco remains leading cause of preventable death
Health

2 decades after settlement, tobacco remains leading cause of preventable death

smoking-2-900.jpg
November 21, 2018
KEYWORDS disease prevention / public health / smoking cessation / tobacco health effects
Reprints

This month marks the 20th anniversary of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement - the largest civil settlement in U.S. history. The 1998 court settlement was between 46 states and the District of Columbia and the four major tobacco companies at the time, and provided new protections against the marketing of tobacco products to kids and the opportunity for funding to address tobacco-related diseases in our nation. The American Lung Association (ALA) celebrates this public health accomplishment, and calls on more states to fully fund tobacco control efforts, prevent youth use of tobacco products and support the health of those living with tobacco-caused disease.

“Despite historically low smoking rates, tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in our nation,” said American Lung Association National President and CEO Harold P. Wimmer. “Today, 16 million people are living with a smoking-related disease. Many of these individuals were hooked on tobacco through marketing practices intentionally targeting children and youth. Reining in tobacco company marketing through the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) was a critical step, but much more can be done to prevent youth use of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, and help smokers quit.”

Despite receiving huge annual sums from the settlement and collecting billions more in tobacco taxes, in the past 20 years, states have underfunded tobacco prevention and cessation programs that have been shown to save both lives and money. While at the time of the MSA, many states did establish programs to prevent and reduce tobacco use - often referred to as tobacco control programs - very few states have funded them at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended levels over the last 20 years. And today, only one state funded these programs at CDC-recommended levels in fiscal year 2018, according to the Lung Association’s annual “State of Tobacco Control” report. In Fiscal Year 2018, the states will collect $27.5 billion from tobacco settlement payments and taxes. But they will spend less than 3 percent of it – $721.6 million – on programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit. 

In part the funds have supported many toll free tobacco quit lines, including the American Lung Association’s Lung HelpLine and Tobacco QuitLine, which offers free on-demand tobacco cessation support from registered nurses and tobacco treatment specialists.

“The benefits of investing in tobacco control efforts are clear – lower smoking rates and less smoking-related diseases such as lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” said Wimmer. “This means not only healthier residents and lives saved, but also lower healthcare costs for the states.”

However, the vast majority of states have failed to use the funds for their intended purpose - some have used them to fill budget holes or pay off debts. A couple of states have even in the past used it to benefit the tobacco industry. For instance, South Carolina gave 15 percent of settlement funds to tobacco farmers affected by the drop in prices for their crop, while North Carolina used 75 percent of its settlement funds for tobacco production.

“The reality is that for decades the tobacco industry lied about their addictive and deadly products, hooking kids and adults alike for life,” Wimmer said. “The settlement funds have the potential to serve as a lifeline for the millions of Americans now living with a tobacco-related disease, and it’s really up to the will of our representatives to do the right thing and implement and fully fund proven tobacco control programs.”

Learn more about ongoing state tobacco control efforts in the annual “State of Tobacco Control” report at Lung.org/sotc, and read more about the use of the MSA funds in the Broken Promises to Our Children report.

Subscribe to ISHN Magazine

Related Articles

Falls remain leading cause of construction industry deaths

CDC: Injury death rates rise after two-decade decline (1/2)

Related Events

Zika Virus: An Emerging Infectious Disease, Epidemiology, Risks and Prevention in the Workplace

Related Directories

Predictive Solutions

Subscribe For Free!
  • Digital Edition Subscriptions
  • ISHN eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

Today's News

2 young part-time UPS workers killed in California

Today's News

Steel worker injured at Indiana plant

incident investigation

How to investigate a worksite incident

ambulance

Buffalo Wild Wings manager dies after exposure to toxic cleaning product fumes

Tesla

Report finds worker injuries are “routine” at Tesla’s Nevada plant

ISHN Readers' Choice Awards 2020 product submissions


Events

March 7, 2019

Safety and Wellness: The Combination that Drives Engagement and Profitability

On Demand Attend this webinar for the keys to success, as well as mistakes to avoid, when targeting safety and wellness with a Recognition & Reward Program.

View All Submit An Event

ISHN Podcasts


ISHN Podcasts

ISHN Magazine

ISHN1219_cover.jpg

2019 December

Among the articles in the December 2019 issue of ISHN Magazine, we have expert insight on selecting the right respirator, a link to the 2020 Buyers’ & Resource Guide, 10 safety mistakes that can land you in a courtroom, and much more.
View More Create Account
  • Resources
    • List Rental
    • Safety A-Z
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • Web Exclusives
    • Privacy Policy
  • Want More
    • Connect
    • Subscribe
    • Survey And Sample

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing