Tobacco Money Not Spent Well, Study Says

Many states with the highest lung cancer rates are squandering tobacco settlement money on programs that have nothing to do with disease prevention.

That´s according to a study released today by a national anti-cancer group.

Even more alarming — anti-smoking advocates say states with the gravest need for stop-smoking programs often spend the least on them.

Last year, the ten states with the highest lung cancer rates received an average of more than $29 per person in funds from a 1998 settlement with the tobacco industry. The Centers for Disease Control recommended they spend about seven dollars per person on anti-smoking programs.

But the study shows the ten states spent an average of a little less than $2 a person on such programs.

California last year received $22 per person from the settlement but spent just $3.44 on anti-smoking programs.