Kentucky ranks 40th in spending for smoking prevention, cessation

By Beth Musgrave – bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Kentucky ranks 40th among states in the amount of money it spends to persuade people to quit or never start smoking, according to a report released Wednesday by anti-smoking groups.

Health advocates in Kentucky have been pushing the legislature to up its funding for tobacco cessation programs and to allocate about $1.5 million to fund a 2007 law that would allow the state’s Medicaid program to pay for smoking cessation aides, such as nicotine patches.

According to the report, Kentucky spends about $3.9 million a year on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which is about 6.9 percent of the amount recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In contrast, tobacco companies spend $20 to market tobacco products for every one dollar states spend to fight tobacco use, said the report released by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association, Robert Woods Johnson Foundation and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Kentucky edged up slightly from last year, when it ranked 41st. That bump is due to an increase in federal funding for Kentucky cessation programs.

Kentucky has one of the highest smoking rates in the nation and frequently leads the country in the number of cases of lung cancer.

“To reduce tobacco’s devastating toll, Kentucky’s leaders should raise the cigarette tax and increase funding for tobacco prevention and cessation,” said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “Even in these difficult budget times, tobacco prevention is a smart investment that reduces smoking, saves lives and saves money by reducing tobacco-related health care costs.”

Kentucky has made some improvements in its efforts to curtail smoking. Earlier this year, the state legislature doubled the cigarette tax to 60 cents a pack. However, health advocates say that’s still way below the national average of $1.34 a pack.

Gov. Steve Beshear announced earlier this year that Kentucky would join the National Alliance for Tobacco Cessation, a public health coalition of national organizations and non-profits that sponsors national media to encourage adult smokers to quit.

Kentucky will use some of the money it receives through the 1998 national tobacco settlement to pay for its part of the program. Beshear has said that he would consider appropriating more money to Medicaid to pay for smoking cessation but has cautioned that the state’s dire financial situation has made it difficult to find additional dollars. The state faces a potential $161 million shortfall this fiscal year, which began July 1.

Senators Denise Harper Angel and Perry Clark, both Democrats from Louisville, have pre-filed legislation that would encourage the governor to fund the 2007 law allowing Medicaid to pay for smoking cessation classes.

Amy Barkley, of Kentucky’s Tobacco-Free Kids, said most legislators have voiced support for the increased funding for Medicaid.

“Everybody says it’s a great idea. It’s just a matter of finding the money,” Barkley said.

The total cost of the Medicaid stop-smoking program would be close to $5 million. But the federal government would pay about $3.5 million of the total, Barkley said.

Filed Under: KY General Assembly • Social Services • State Budget • Steve Beshear