Ohio ranks last in US for tobacco prevention efforts

In fiscal years 2011 and 2012, Ohio has not budgeted any funding ($0) in tobacco prevention despite having received $1.2 billion in tobacco settlement monies and taxes on tobacco products in 2010 and showing startling tobacco use among youth.

Ohio ranks last among the fifty states and D.C. in tobacco prevention funding for fiscal years 2011 and 2012 even though the state has received tobacco settlement funding in the past and nearly $1.2 billion in tobacco settlement funds in the past and tobacco-related taxes in 2010. A detailed report can be seen at this link from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

The State Congress and Governor's Office determined that no tobacco settlement funds were to be used for prevention after the Ohio Supreme Court ruled in December 2010 that there was no restriction on the use of the funds. Therefore, state legislators could use the funds for any purpose.

The State of Ohio has been measuring tobacco use by surveying adults in youth through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). These surveys are done annually for adults and every two years for youth to track risky behaviors, nutrition and exercise, health awareness and knowledge. The Ohio Youth Tobacco Surveys in 2008 report that 30.1% of Ohio youth used tobacco in the past 30 days when asked. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that, for 2010,

• 17.1% of Ohio adults smoked everyday
• 5.4% smoked some days,
• 24.6% are former smokers, and
• 52.9% never smoked.

(Data available at this link, last accessed Dec 2, 2011.)