Michigan Spending Little on Tobacco Education

Source from:  Susan Vela Lansing State Journal lansingstatejournal.com 12/27/2007

Report: Less than 1 % of settlement goes to prevention Some teens from Lansing Catholic High School were recently given a straw and told to keep a balloon suspended in air. The challenge quickly taught them how exhausting breathing is for a smoker with emphysema. Too few Michigan children are getting these vital lessons, according to local health officials and educators partnering to keep tobacco from teens. Advertisement "It's essential for our teens to have the knowledge to make the choice that's best for them," said Amber Doherty, a Lansing Catholic counselor. "We need that knowledge to make that choice," she said. But a recently released report, "A Broken Promise to Our Children: The 1998 State Tobacco Settlement Nine Years Later," ranked Michigan 47th in the nation for the funding it provides to protect kids from tobacco. It was sponsored by some big hitters - the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network and American Lung Association. Other findings: • The nation's tobacco companies spend more than $415 million on annual marketing in Michigan, which is more than 115 times what the state spends on tobacco prevention. • Michigan will reap $1.4 billion from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes this year. Yet the state will spend less than 1 percent - or $3.6 million - of the money on tobacco prevention. Most of Michigan's tobacco money goes toward scholarships for college-bound students and Medicaid costs. "It doesn't make Michigan look all that good, does it?" said Lloyd Johnston of the University of Michigan's Population Studies Center. He has done extensive research on teenage smoking trends. "I'm not sure if Michigan has ever had a very vigorous campaign." Efforts at 3 schools The Ingham County Health Department has a $50,000 grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield corporation. The money is going toward the department's partnership with three local schools - Lansing Catholic, Mason's Summit High School and Haslett's Meridian High School - and their efforts to build a culture that recognizes the risks of tobacco while supporting kids in their choices. Matthew Stuard, Summit's program coordinator, estimated that 20 to 30 percent of the school's students smoke on a regular basis. However, the partnership means that a county health employee visits the school regularly to teach the negative effects of tobacco, including the impact on the environment. Since the program started, some kids have talked about how they would like to quit smoking. They'd also like to visit the district's younger students to share what they are learning. "It should do a lot of good," Stuard said. More funding needed But more funding is needed, said Renee Canady, the Ingham County Health Department's deputy health officer. "Marketing experts are just that. They're expert at what they do," said Canady, noting that ads often project a cool, sexy image of smokers without mentioning the risks. "It certainly would be our preference for more funding to go toward this effort." Enditem