RI Ranked Among Worst States in Country for Tobacco Control
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Rhode Island is ranked among the worst states in the country when it comes to tobacco control.
According to the 2017 Broken Promises to Our Children report, Rhode Island ranks 40th in funding programs that prevent kids from smoking and helps smokers quit.
Click here to See Full Report
RI”s tobacco control program is at less than three percent of the Centers for Disease Control’s recommended amount.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“The numbers speak for themselves: tobacco companies spend $26 million each year to market their deadly and addictive products here in Rhode Island – more than 69 times what the state spends on tobacco prevention. In order to combat this, it is imperative that lawmakers commit to increased funding for the state’s tobacco control program.
It’s time for Rhode Island to be a leader in the fight against Big Tobacco, and we can do this by preventing our children from picking up a deadly tobacco addiction and helping current smokers quit. In order to achieve these goals – which will not only save lives, but reduce long-term healthcare costs – state lawmakers must increase funding for proven tobacco prevention programs,” said Robert Dulski, director of government relations for ACS CAN in Rhode Island.
Tobacco in Rhode Island
According to the report, 4.8% of high school students smoke, and 300 kids become regular smokers each year.
The report says that tobacco claims the lives of 1,800 Rhode Islanders and costs the state $640 million in health care bills annually.
Rhode Island will collect $195.5 million in revenue this year from the 1998 tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend only 0.2 percent of the money on tobacco prevention programs.
Positives From Report
Rhode Island’s high school smoking rate is down to 4.8 percent, one of the lowest in the country.
Health advocates are urging Rhode Island leaders to increase funding for its tobacco prevention programs and to raise the legal sale age of tobacco products to 21.
“Rhode Island has made significant progress in reducing tobacco use and can achieve even more by increasing its investment in programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit. We can win the fight against tobacco and make the next generation tobacco-free, but Rhode Island needs to continue doing its part to help achieve these goals. Raising the state’s tobacco age to 21 would be an excellent step forward,” said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
Broken Promises to Our Children Report
The report was released by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights and Truth Initiative.
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