Pennsylvania Attorney General Corbett, American Lung Association & Others Call for New MSA Funds to Be Used for Tobacco Prevention and...( PHILADELPHIA April 10 -- Pennsyl...),Health

PHILADELPHIA, April 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett today joined with the American Lung Association and 45 other tobacco control, prevention and health-related organizations from across Pennsylvania to encourage Governor Rendell and the General Assembly to dedicate the new estimated $25 million payment from the tobacco settlement to be used for tobacco prevention and cessation programming.

"Studies show that state tobacco control programs are effective at cutting the number of smokers, and the more funds that can be directed to these programs, the better the results," said Corbett. "With nearly one-quarter of Pennsylvanians plagued by nicotine addiction and smoking-related diseases costing our state's health care system an additional $5.19 billion annually, the Governor and the General Assembly have a unique opportunity this month to invest the extra money in the health and welfare of our citizens."

As part of the 1998 tobacco settlement (MSA), this month the involved states will receive an increase to their normal annual payments from the MSA-participating tobacco companies through the "Strategic Contribution Fund" payment that the companies must pay from 2008 to 2017. While payments vary for each state, Pennsylvania will receive an additional estimated $25 million on April 15 in addition to the other required payments.

"Pennsylvania currently spends $31.7 million on tobacco prevention and cessation, which pales in comparison to the $553 million - over $1.5 million a day - the tobacco industry spends each year to market and promote its products," said Deborah Brown, Vice President of Community Outreach and Advocacy for the American Lung Association. "With approximately 21,300 children under 18 years of age becoming daily smokers each year, the funding is critical to expand throughout PA existing tobacco prevention and cessation programs that we know work."

The Centers for Disease Con
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