Indiana's Comprehensive Tobacco Control Initiative has been ineffect for over three years and evaluations show that it isworking. Hoosiers are decreasing their tobacco use, and the rate ofyouth using tobacco has decreased dramatically in just two years.However, funding must continue in order for these life-savingprograms to continue.
It is important, especially during an election year, forconstituents to be aware of how tobacco control issues affectaspects of Indiana, including health care costs and economicdevelopment. Indiana spends $1 billion annually on tobacco relatedhealth care costs. When there is a decrease in tobacco use, thiscost will decrease dramatically, and can be used for other stateinitiatives.
Economic development is a true "buzz word" for Indiana, and isimportant for the livelihood of the state. What people do notrealize is that employers are spending millions of dollars inhealth care costs related to tobacco use each year. This causes anincrease in everyone's insurance premiums, and hinders otherbusinesses from building in communities where employee health carecosts are so high.
Legislators will be creating the budget for the next two yearsbeginning in January. It is critical that funding for IndianaTobacco Prevention and Cessation (ITPC) be restored, in order tocontinue to decrease tobacco use among Hoosiers and save lives.This year Indiana received close to $155 million from the MasterSettlement Fund. ITPC received $10.8 million of this for theirprogram. The CDC recommends that for a tobacco control program inIndiana to be most effective, funding needs to be at or above $33million.
I hope residents can see the importance that tobacco controlplays in Indiana and will ask their legislators to ensure continuedfunding for the programs.
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