Tobacco News

One area that South Dakota lawmakers will specifically target is tobacco prevention. In 2006, voters approved raising the state’s tobacco tax by a dollar on each pack of cigarettes.

That increase brings in $60 million to the state every year. Part of that law sets aside $5 million a year to fund the tobacco prevention programs in the state.

But now some lawmakers want cut that funding in half, which isn’t sitting well with those who’ve fought to keep cigarettes out of teenagers’ hands.

Among other things, the $5 million funds the quit line program that’s available to any tobacco user in South Dakota.

It also pays for prevention programs to educate children about the dangers of smoking. And health officials say they’ve been successful.

“In 2006, when that money became a sustained and adequate amount of $5 million because of the voters, what we saw was significant declines with both adults and youth tobacco rates,” Jennifer Stalley with the American Cancer Society said.

The American Cancer Society and South Dakota Tobacco Free Kids Network both helped spearhead the campaign to raise South Dakota’s tobacco tax. Now they feel they’re the ones being snuffed out.

“I think it’s going against the voters and I think it’s a short term solution to a long term problem. We know if people begin using tobacco before 18, they are likely to be a life long tobacco user so prevention is so key on the end,” Stalley said.

And if lawmakers cut the funding, Stalley believes tobacco use among teenagers will climb.

“If we are going to cut these programs to where we don’t have prevention and public education and awareness, we are going to see our young people have higher rates of usage and that’s going to translate 10 to 15 years down the road to another spike in adult use, which impacts the health care system and Medicaid costs,” Stalley said.

That is already putting a strain on the state’s budget.

There are two other proposals that don’t cut as much money from the program.

By Don Jorgensen, Keloland