You Mean It Was Just A Money Grab? I'm So Disillusioned
U.S. states have not lived up to their commitment to devote a major portion of their huge legal settlement with the tobacco industry a decade ago on anti-smoking efforts, health advocacy groups said on Tuesday.
In the 10 years since the landmark deal, the states have received $79.2 billion of the settlement and another $124.3 billion from tobacco taxes, but have spent only about 3 percent of it "” $6.5 billion "” on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, the groups said in a report.
Gee, I really thought the settlement was about health care and tobacco education, and now I find out it was just a crass money grab? Who could have ever predicted that?
Those who have read my novel will recognize the sarcasm.
Brad Warbiany:
Thanks for the link... Unfortunately The Liberty Papers underwent a severe system crash and we'll likely be down at least a day.
Glad at least someone got to see that before it disappeared!
November 18, 2008, 11:12 amJody:
Virginia is using a large fraction of the settlement money for economic development of 'Southside" Virginia which used to be a heavy tobacco-growing region.
It's not tobacco education or health care, but it seems like a reasonable use to me.
November 18, 2008, 3:23 pmMike:
5 years ago, our state's governor flushed $1 billion of tobacco settlement money down the toilet as part of his budget 'fix' for a $4 billion plus deficit. Guess what, even after passing a 75 cent/pack 'health impact fee' (how's that for semantics) last year, the state is still staring down a $5 billion plus deficit for the coming biennium.
Great work, Brownie!
December 6, 2008, 1:11 am