Tobacco use
is the
leading preventable cause of death for Iowans, taking the lives of more than
4,400 adults each year. The annual
health care costs in Iowa directly related to tobacco use now total $1 billion.
For
every person who dies from tobacco use, another 20 suffer with at least one
serious tobacco-related illness. Half of all long-term smokers die prematurely
from smoking-related causes.
In fiscal year 2013 Iowa will spend
$3.2 million in state funds on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, a
mere 8.7% of the CDC recommended level of $36.7 million. The Iowa legislature has cut state funding
for tobacco prevention and cessation programs for five consecutive years. In January the American Lung Association
issued its State of Tobacco Control
Report, and Iowa did not fare well.
We received an F in tobacco prevention, a D on the cigarette tax and an
F on cessation efforts.
As we celebrate National Public
Health Week, “Prevention is Return on Investment: Save Lives, Save Money,” we
call upon the legislature to invest $10 million in the fiscal year 2014 budget
to prevent Iowa’s kids from using tobacco and to help Iowans quit.
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