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Budget Cut Threatens Tobacco Prevention Programs

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Wednesday, June 30, 2010   

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - South Dakota voters in 2006 approved a tax increase on tobacco products that sets aside $5 million per year for tobacco prevention programs like the quit line. This year, because of a tight budget, the South Dakota Legislature took $1.5 million away from that program. The cuts become effective on Friday.

Mary Michaels, with the American Heart Association of South Dakota, says those cuts will hurt.

"The quit line has been successful with cessation efforts, in helping people quit. And with the additional funding, what they have been able to do is expand that program to give people even more. Individuals had more opportunity to go through that quit-line service more than once, if they needed to. "

The state health department says only 17.5 percent of the population now smokes, largely due to those prevention efforts. Michaels says they are concerned that the cuts will extend for more than one year.

"What happened this past session was a one-time cut. We know now that it's probably on the list for next year as a place where cuts can be made again. When the voters have said, 'No, this is where we want the money to go,' we think it needs to stay there. We will definitely be working very hard to ensure that this program does not take this kind of cut again."

Michaels, whose group is a member of the South Dakota Tobacco Free Kids Network, says continued funding of prevention programs would pay for themselves many times over because the state now pays about $58 million for tobacco-related heath costs every year.



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