Wellness Expert Calls Strickland Stupid for Tobacco Fund Diversion

Source from:  Thursday, April 17, 2008 Patrick O'Donnell Plain Dealer Reporter  04/18/2008

Tobacco fund diversion prompts remark Dr. Michael Roizen, the nationally known author and wellness expert at the Cleveland Clinic, criticized Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland for his decision to raid the tobacco settlement fund at the expense of smoking cessation efforts. "And guess what? Our stupid governor! He either is stupid or he has very bad advisers," Roizen said during the question-and-answer portion of a speech Wednesday night at Case Western Reserve University. Roizen, author of "Real Age: Are You As Young As You Can Be?" and "You: The Owner's Manual," was referring to a decision by the governor, supported by the state legislature, to take control of $230 million that had been designated for anti-tobacco programs. The state wants to use the money for a new jobs bill. A judge has frozen the money pending an April 24 hearing on whether the state can take the money. "He is robbing all the money out of the tobacco protection fund," Roizen said. "If you want to do something to help, you write the damn governor and tell him he gets more jobs by keeping the money there and cutting down medical costs so we can afford to have jobs in the state." Strickland spokesman Keith Dailey stressed that the governor is still reserving $40 million for the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation to continue anti-smoking efforts. He said the foundation will attract private donations to add to that money. "Most agree that $40 million is not a paltry sum of money," he said. Dailey added that Strickland considers jobs to be the state's "most pressing need." The Clinic distanced itself from Roizen's comments later Wednesday night, not just for the use of "stupid," but on his entire objection to Strickland's use of tobacco money on the jobs program. "I think he's making every effort he can to create jobs and we're backing that," Clinic spokesperson Eileen Sheil said. Roizen, the Clinic's chief wellness officer, has often appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." He spoke at Case's Research ShowCASE, which highlights research innovations from students, faculty and Case collaborators. Earlier in his speech, Roizen listed smoking as one of the top health dangers today and argued that a drastic reduction in smoking would save enough money now spent on medical bills to pay for health coverage for the uninsured. He later said: "So either the governor is bought by Big Tobacco, which I don't believe. I think he's just got lousy advisers around him." The outburst brought some of biggest applause of the speech from a crowd of about 70. Roizen, expecting some backlash, had concluded his speech with the disclaimer, "That was not an official Cleveland Clinic statement," drawing laughs from the crowd. Enditem