After years of being a national leader in fighting tobacco, Washington state has cut funding for its successful tobacco prevention and cessation programs by 42 percent and fallen from 14th to 19th among the states in funding such programs, according to a national report released today by a coalition of public health organizations, including the American Lung Association.

Health advocates say Washington’s progress is at risk unless the state raises its cigarette tax and restores funding for programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit.

State-funded programs such as the American Lung Association in Washington’s successful and proven Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU) program, which reaches nearly 55,000 youth annually with its anti-tobacco message, is at risk of being cut. Interestingly, programs such as TATU are being cut in spite of the fact that Washington state this year will collect $569 million from the 1998 tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend less than 3 percent of it on tobacco prevention programs.

American Lung Association in Washington representatives are available for interviews on this report and what it means for the future health of our kids. We can also provide profiles of kids in your area who are impacted by these funding cuts. To schedule an interview or to inquire about this topic, contact Carrie Nyssen at (509) 883-3535 or cnyssen@alaw.org; or Laura Martin at (509) 294-6985 or by email at lmartin@alaw.org